Find out more about pioneering highways scheme at meet the contractor event

Article date: 28 November 2022

This month (November) ground was broken on the roundabout by the Bull & Dog Pub in Lea Green which is to be replaced with a CYCLOPS (Cycle Optimised Protected Signals) junction to prioritise the safety of pedestrians and cyclists by segregating them from motorists, reducing risk of collision. 

As part of a community engagement exercise, St Helens-based contractor, Huyton Asphalt - together with the project team at St Helens Borough Council - will be holding a drop-in session at the Sutton Academy for anyone wanting to find out more about the scheme, ask any questions and hear about any employment opportunities with the company. 

During the works and as part of the project's commitment to social value there will be extensive engagement with local schools. This will include education and awareness raising sessions on construction, health and safety, and the variety of careers on offer in the construction sector.  More broadly, the project will provide job and work experience opportunities as well as looking to work with community groups, assisting with local improvement opportunities where possible.    

The CYCLOPS is one of a number of improvements being introduced around Lea Green Railway Station as part of the £15m St Helens Southern Gateway project - funded by the Liverpool City Region's Transforming Cities Fund - with work underway on a new decked car park and ticket boking system; a new station building with waiting room, toilets and other customer facilities - along with seven new walking and cycling routes to connect Lea Green to nearby residential, leisure and employment areas.  

Councillor Andy Bowden, St Helens Borough Council's Cabinet Member for Environment and Transport, said:  

"When carrying out significant projects on such a scale, it is important that residents and businesses - particularly those within the vicinity of the works - are kept fully informed on what is going on and are made aware of what is coming up at the earliest opportunity to help the project run as smoothly as possible, keeping disruption to a minimum. 

"We're delighted to be working with Huyton Asphalt - a local company with a good track record of delivering quality highway schemes across the country - on the CYCLOPS element of our St Helens Southern Gateway to make active travel safer and more appealing. They will also help us achieve our commitment to delivering social value in everything we do by providing job and work experience opportunities to local people. 

"I would encourage anyone interested to attend our meet the contractor event where they can find out more about this transformational project and what opportunities could come out if it." 

Tony Carney, Project Director at Huyton Asphalt, said: 

"Building sustainable communities safely is Huyton Asphalt's purpose, and we are proud to do this by delivering the first CYCLOPS junction in the region. We look forward to working with St Helens Borough Council to build this innovative active travel highways project. 

 "We are a national business with a local focus.  Throughout this project, we will continue to support our local community with engagement with local schools, skills and employment opportunities, social value initiatives, and modern low-carbon technologies that will leave a positive legacy." 

Meet the contractor will take place at the Sutton Academy between 4:30pm-7:00pm on Thursday 1 December. 

For more information on the St Helens Southern Gateway project, visit: www.sthelens.gov.uk/leagreen