Enhanced street lighting installed on key active travel routes and Heritage Trail

Article date: 6 February 2025

New lighting has been installed along the Foundry Wharf canal side footpath, from Parr Street car park to Standish Street, including the canal bridge underpass.

The lamps - 21 in total - are all energy efficient LED fittings, while colour changing, motion sensor LED strip lighting in the underpass will mimic the colours set around events on the Steve Prescott Bridge.

And with the area transformed into a more welcoming recreational space, Rotary St Helens, in partnership with the council, unveiled the latest milestone in the Heritage Trail project, with a brand-new QR code installed at Foundry Wharf. By scanning it, visitors will embark on the next chapter of a rich history, uncovering stories of St Helens' industrial past.

The canal was once a hub of industry, transporting coal and raw materials to support the booming chemical works, glassworks, and foundries that shaped St Helens Borough.

A further 34 new lighting columns and 26 floodlights to serve the events spaces have been erected in Sherdley Park, improving visibility and enhancing use of the green space in the evenings and darker months for outdoor activities and active travel.

Councillor Seve Gomez-Aspron MBE, Cabinet Member for Transport and Environment said:

"We're pleased to be able to invest in and enhance these key pedestrian and cycling routes - and the growing Heritage Trail - with backing from the City Region, improving safety and accessibility in the evenings and during the winter months. These works are just a small part of our wider highways and street lighting programme, keeping our communities connected and safe on the borough's road and footpath network."

The street lighting scheme is supported by the UK Shared Prosperity Fund, delivered through the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority.