Virtual reality tour brings £100m Liverpool Baltic station project to life

• Mayor Steve Rotheram unveils virtual reality walkthrough at walkthrough event
• Public consultation on plans for £100m station scheme runs until early August
• Station to serve ‘UK’s coolest neighbourhood’
• A virtual reality (VR) tour is bringing plans for the £100 million Liverpool Baltic station development to life.

Mayor Steve Rotheram revealed the inspection at an event in the Baltic Triangle today, which is part of an ongoing public consultation into the plans.

The mayor was one of the first people to settle into the new “virtual” station with the help of a virtual reality headset, which gives an idea of ​​what the station could look like when completed in late 2027.

Liverpool Baltic station will be located in one of the fastest growing areas of the city region and is one of four new stations planned by the recently re-elected Mayor of the Liverpool City Region, Steve Rotheram, who has committed to completing the project by the end of 2027, a year ahead of schedule.

Mayor Rotheram has also promised to build three new stations at Daresbury in Halton, Woodchurch on the Wirral and Carr Mill in St Helens, with development work on all three underway by the end of the decade.

The move would mean every district in the city region has had a brand new station since Mayor Rotheram took office in 2017.

Speaking at the event, Steve Rotheram, Mayor of the Liverpool City Regionhe said:

“Since becoming Mayor in 2017, I have worked tirelessly to ensure we have the best possible connectivity for our residents across the city region. It is important that people can enjoy a reliable, accessible, affordable and integrated public transport network that makes getting around an easy and hassle-free experience.

“Our plans for Liverpool Baltic station demonstrate our ambitions for the future of our network, with this virtual presentation showcasing the level of quality we want to build for our residents.

“This station will be located in an area that is growing in popularity, and this has huge potential to drive economic growth in and around the Baltic.

“Liverpool Baltic is the first of many new stations that are part of my commitment to ‘Merseyrail for All’, connecting communities that are currently not connected by rail to take advantage of the growth and opportunities in our area.”

The event is part of a public consultation on the station scheme, which runs until Sunday 4 August.

The new station, located on Merseyrail’s Northern Line, will serve the “coolest borough” in the UK — and the 11th coolest in the world — according to Time Out magazine. The station’s name was chosen by the public in an online vote in 2022, which saw more than three-quarters opt for Liverpool Baltic.

The VR tutorial can be accessed on the project page and will also be used at the upcoming in-person event at the FireFit Youth and Community Hub in Toxteth on Tuesday 23rd July (11am-8pm).

People can give their feedback on the program at the event or through an online survey.

You can find out more about the consultation and the scheme on the project page at liverpoolcityregion-ca.gov.uk/liverpoolbaltic

Information gathered from the consultation will be used to finalise the design ahead of planning application. Subject to approval, work is expected to begin on site in 2025, with the station scheduled to open by the end of 2027.

Plans for Liverpool Baltic station include step-free access from the street to the train, passenger waiting facilities, fully accessible passenger toilets, secure and monitored cycle parking and connections to an enhanced local active travel network.

The new station is part of Mayor Rotheram’s ‘Merseyrail for All’ commitment to reach communities that are currently not connected to the local rail network, using the region’s pioneering new battery-powered technology, which has made it possible to extend the lines beyond their current boundaries.

It is also hoped that by expanding and improving services, more people will be encouraged to travel by public transport rather than by car, supporting the Mayor’s ambitious target of reaching net zero by 2035.

Neil Grabham, Chief Executive of Merseyrailhe said:

“It is really exciting to be able to share the plans for the new Liverpool Baltic station as part of these public consultation events, alongside colleagues from Liverpool City Region Combined Authority, Liverpool City Council and Network Rail.

“I am sure that everyone who attends this consultation will be impressed by the plans for the new station. Our teams are available to speak to anyone who has questions or feedback as part of the consultation at these events. Once built, the new station at Liverpool Baltic will have a hugely positive impact on the entire area.”

“I know people will have a lot of opinions about the development, so please take the survey or come visit us at the next drop-in event.”

Philippa Britton, Network Rail Programme Lead Sponsorhe said:

“The virtual reality tour is a fantastic way to bring the exciting plans for Liverpool Baltic station to life.

“It has been great to deliver the new station project in this vibrant part of the Liverpool city region and to work closely with the combined authority and other partners.”

Councillor Nick Small, Cabinet Member for Growth and Economy, Liverpool City Councilhe said:

“The new Liverpool Baltic station has huge potential to help drive economic growth in this part of the city centre and will act as a vital service to the long-established residential community.

“Its development will also complement the Council’s plans to improve public space in the area for both residents and visitors.

“The coming years are set to define the future of the Baltic Triangle for decades to come and these new images and the pending public consultation are an exciting chapter in this unfolding story.”

Lynn Haime, Executive Director of Baltic Creative CIChe said:

“We are excited to see the progress on Liverpool Baltic station and get a glimpse of what it will look like.

“We have been campaigning for this for many years as an important addition to the area which will not only support the existing business community but also drive further growth.

“The need for this station reflects how significant the Baltic Triangle has become as a location, and regular surveys of our creative and digital community consistently show that it would be well used and warmly received.

“The introduction of this station also aligns perfectly with Baltic Creative’s sustainability agenda, enhancing our efforts to create a greener, more connected future.”