106-592: Stagecoach Merseyside is a major operator of bus services in the city of Liverpool and the surrounding Merseyside region. It is a sub-division of Stagecoach Merseyside and South Lancashire . Stagecoach Merseyside was formed in July 2005 with the acquisition of Glenvale Transport , which in turn had initially been formed by ex- MTL managers bidding for the company, following a Competition Commission ruling that Arriva Merseyside must sell their newly acquired Gillmoss depot to preserve competition between bus operators within
212-629: A cabinet government including the leaders of the following six councils: Halton, Knowsley, Liverpool, Sefton, St Helens and Wirral. This decision triggered devolution for what was termed the 'Liverpool City Region'. In January 2009, an agreement was made that the six local authorities would form the Liverpool City Region, in a Multi-Area Agreement (MAA). The agreement led to a transfer, from central government, greater responsibilities in more than ten areas covering employment, skills, transport, regeneration, housing and planning. Hazel Blears ,
318-671: A city which also suffered severe aerial bombing during the war. In the 1950s and 1960s, much of the immediate reconstruction that took place in the city centre proved to be deeply unpopular. The historic portions of the city that had survived German bombing suffered extensive destruction during urban renewal. It has been argued that the so-called "Shankland Plan" of the 1960s, named after the town planner Graeme Shankland , led to compromised town planning and vast road-building schemes that devastated and divided inner city neighbourhoods. Concrete brutalist architecture , compromised visions, botched projects and grand designs that were never realised became
424-544: A joint European Capital of Culture for 2008. The celebrations included the erection of La Princesse , a large mechanical spider 20 metres high and weighing 37 tonnes, which represented the "eight legs" of Liverpool: honour, history, music, the Mersey, the ports, governance, sunshine and culture. La Princesse roamed the streets of the city during the festivities, and concluded by entering the Queensway Tunnel . Spearheaded by
530-449: A million people travel on Irish Sea ferry services from Liverpool Docks and Birkenhead's Twelve Quays to Belfast , Dublin and the Isle of Man , and there is a growing number of cruise ships making day calls at the port. A new terminal at Prince's Dock provides check-in, baggage drop and reclaim, as well as customs and border facilities for thousands of cruise liner passengers visiting
636-633: A negative effect on climate change . The airport has responded by saying it 'naturally recognises its wider environmental responsibilities' and has promised measures to protect the areas around the Oglet Shore, with proposals for a revitalised 50 hectare coastal reserve. The airport argues that it brings significant economic benefits to the city region by supporting its international visitor economy and providing jobs for local people. Airport bosses also plan to reach net carbon zero by 2040 through on site renewable energy generation. The Liverpool City Region
742-515: A pioneer of scientific toponymy in Wales, in "Place Names of North Wales", does not attempt to explain it beyond noting that " lleifiad " is used as a Welsh equivalent of "Liver". A derivative form of a learned borrowing into Welsh ( * llaf ) of Latin lāma (slough, bog, fen) to give " lleifiad " is possible, but unproven. In the Middle Ages , Liverpool existed firstly as farmland within
848-627: A population of 2.3 million. The European Union's ESPON calculated the Liverpool metropolitan area to be over 2.2 million people. The neighbouring local authorities of Warrington Borough Council and West Lancashire are associate members of the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority and thus co-operate (but do not vote) in the Liverpool city region meetings. Since the abolition of Merseyside County Council ,
954-407: A regenerated Albert Dock which proved to be a catalyst for further regeneration. In the mid-1990s, the city enjoyed growth rates higher than the national average. At the end of the 20th century, Liverpool was concentrating on regeneration, a process that continues today. Ongoing regeneration combined with the hosting of internationally significant events has helped to re-purpose Liverpool as one of
1060-452: Is a growing airport with annual passenger numbers approaching 5 million, making it one of the UK's busiest airports. Liverpool John Lennon Airport serves more than 60 direct routes which include most major European cities. This extends to over 150 destinations across five continents via a dedicated one-stop hub connection flight to Frankfurt Airport , courtesy of Lufthansa . The airport
1166-428: Is also home to the UK's oldest surviving classical orchestra ( Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra ) and repertory theatre ( Liverpool Playhouse ). In 1864, Peter Ellis built the world's first iron-framed, curtain-walled office building, Oriel Chambers , which was a prototype of the skyscraper. The UK's first purpose-built department store was Compton House , completed in 1867 for the retailer J.R. Jeffrey. It
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#17330944189711272-615: Is also the home of the earliest black community in the UK , the earliest Chinese community in Europe , and the first mosque in England. The name comes from the Old English lifer , meaning thick or muddy water, and pōl , meaning a pool or creek, and is first recorded around 1190 as Liuerpul . According to the Cambridge Dictionary of English Place-Names , "The original reference
1378-418: Is beyond dispute, claims are sometimes made that the name Liverpool is of Welsh origin, but these are without foundation. The Welsh name for Liverpool is Lerpwl , from a former English local form Leerpool. This is a reduction of the form "Leverpool" with the loss of the intervocalic [v] (seen in other English names and words e.g. Daventry (Northamptonshire) > Danetry, never-do-well > ne’er-do-well). In
1484-821: Is covered by BBC North West and ITV Granada . TalkLiverpool is a local television station serving the Liverpool City Region and surrounding areas which broadcasts to the area. Television signals in the area are received from the Winter Hill TV transmitter and the Storeton relay transmitter which is situated in the Wirral Peninsula . The area has serval radio stations including, BBC Radio Merseyside , Capital Liverpool , Hits Radio Liverpool (formerly Radio City), Greatest Hits Radio Liverpool & The North West , In Demand Radio , Liverpool Live Radio , Heart North West and Smooth North West . Local newspaper that serves
1590-565: Is named after the city. As early as 1851, the city was described as "the New York of Europe". During the late 19th and early 20th century, Liverpool was attracting immigrants from across Europe. This resulted in the construction of a diverse array of religious buildings in the city for the new ethnic and religious groups, many of which are still in use today. The Deutsche Kirche Liverpool , Greek Orthodox Church of St Nicholas , Gustav Adolf Church and Princes Road Synagogue were all established in
1696-627: Is now styled as Mayor of the Liverpool City Region . The Mayor wields a number of powers devolved from central government and is seen as the chief representative of the city region in National and International affairs, and also serves as the Chairperson of the Combined Authority. The Liverpool City Region Local Enterprise Partnership, which has now been absorbed by the LCRCA, was established in 2010 and
1802-464: Is often used as a filming location due to its distinctive architecture , and was the fifth most visited UK city by foreign tourists in 2022. It is the only UNESCO City of Music in England and has produced countless musicians , most notably the Beatles , who are widely regarded as the most influential band of all time ; musicians from the city have released more UK No. 1 hit singles than anywhere else in
1908-587: Is operated by Merseytravel , the combined Passenger Transport Executive and integrated transport authority and public sector body responsible for the coordination of public transport across the Liverpool city region. Merseyrail is an urban rail operating almost 800 trains per day carrying over 100,000 passengers within the city region, on its network of 68 stations. The Merseyrail network includes five underground stations in Liverpool City Centre and Birkenhead centre. The UK government has insisted that
2014-410: Is said to have been designed by King John near the same time it was granted a royal charter , making it a borough. The original seven streets were laid out in the shape of a double cross: Bank Street (now Water Street ), Castle Street , Chapel Street , Dale Street , Juggler Street (now High Street ), Moor Street (now Tithebarn Street ) and Whiteacre Street (now Old Hall Street ). Liverpool Castle
2120-727: Is served by easyJet , Ryanair , Lufthansa , Jet2.com , Wizz Air , Play Airlines , Aer Lingus , Loganair and Widerøe . As part of LJLA's Master Plan, the airport is planning for substantial expansion between 2030 - 2050. This includes larger terminal buildings in order to handle extra passengers, extending the runway, targeting permanent direct long haul flights and creating new hotels, restaurants and commercial space. The expansion plans have sparked concerns by local environmental campaign groups who suggest that expanded airport facilities will encroach on surrounding green space and agricultural land, especially at Oglet Shore . There are also concerns that growth in passenger numbers will have
2226-637: Is the fifth largest city in the United Kingdom and the largest settlement in Merseyside. It is part of the Liverpool City Region , a combined authority with a population of over 1.5 million. Established as a borough in Lancashire in 1207, Liverpool became a significant town in the late 17th century, when the port at nearby Chester began to silt up. The Port of Liverpool became heavily involved in
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#17330944189712332-654: Is the world's oldest existing organisation devoted to the promotion of spaceflight . Its journal, the Journal of the British Interplanetary Society , is the longest-running astronautical publication in the world. Liverpool City Region The Liverpool City Region is a combined authority area in North West England . It has six council areas: the five metropolitan boroughs of Merseyside ( Liverpool , Knowsley , St Helens , Sefton , Wirral ) and
2438-463: Is traditionally seen as a service sector economy , with its so called knowledge economy providing one third of the local employment base and over 40% of its total economic value. According to statistics for 2008, the Life sciences sector accounts for almost 10% of the region's economy, over 71,000 people are employed in financial and professional services, over 34,000 in manufacturing , and almost 24,000 in
2544-514: The Atlantic slave trade , with the first slave ship departing from the town in 1699. The port also imported much of the cotton required by the neighbouring Lancashire textile mills , and became a major departure point for English and Irish emigrants to North America. Liverpool rose to global economic importance at the forefront of the Industrial Revolution in the 19th century and was home to
2650-502: The British Armed Forces , settled in Liverpool and other port cities. In June 1919, they were subject to attack by whites in racial riots; residents in the port included Swedish immigrants , and both groups had to compete with native people from Liverpool for jobs and housing. In this period, race riots also took place in other port cities. The Housing Act 1919 resulted in mass council housing being built across Liverpool during
2756-532: The English Civil War , including a brief siege in 1644. In 1699, the same year as its first recorded slave ship , Liverpool Merchant , set sail for Africa, Liverpool was made a parish by Act of Parliament . But arguably, the legislation of 1695 that reformed the Liverpool council was of more significance to its subsequent development. Since Roman times , the nearby city of Chester on the River Dee had been
2862-661: The European Union selected it as the European Capital of Culture in 2008, which was reported to have generated over £800 million for the local economy within a year. The economy of Liverpool is diversified and encompasses tourism, culture , maritime , hospitality , healthcare , life sciences , advanced manufacturing, creative , and digital sectors. The city is home to the UK's second highest number of art galleries , national museums , listed buildings , and parks and open spaces , with only London having more. It
2968-541: The Eurovision Song Contest 2023 . Liverpool has been a centre of invention and innovation. Railways, transatlantic steamships , municipal trams, and electric trains were all pioneered in Liverpool as modes of mass transit. In 1829 and 1836, the first railway tunnels in the world were constructed under Liverpool ( Wapping Tunnel ). From 1950 to 1951, the world's first scheduled passenger helicopter service ran between Liverpool and Cardiff . The first School for
3074-573: The Great War was marked by social unrest, as society grappled with the massive war losses of young men, as well as trying to re-integrate veterans into civilian life and the economy. Unemployment and poor living standards greeted many ex-servicemen. Union organising and strikes took place in numerous locations, including a police strike in Liverpool among the City Police . Numerous colonial soldiers and sailors from Africa and India, who had served with
3180-547: The M57 acts as an outer ring road and bypass for the city of Liverpool itself. The area has relatively low road congestion and its central location makes it an efficient base from which to service the whole country. Various parts of the region are separated by the River Mersey , and as a result, Wirral is connected to the centre of Liverpool via the Queensway Tunnel and Kingsway Tunnel , whereas Widnes and Runcorn are connected by
3286-692: The Macgregor Laird expedition to the Niger River, at that time in progress. This is to a painting by Samuel Austin , Liverpool, from the Mersey . Britain was a major market for cotton imported from the Deep South of the United States, which fed the textile industry in the country. Given the crucial place cotton held in the city's economy, during the American Civil War Liverpool was, in
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3392-455: The Middle East and South America . Imports include grain and animal feed , timber , steel, coal, cocoa, crude oil, edible oils and liquid chemicals; and exports of scrap metal for recycling. A second container terminal, Liverpool2 at Seaforth , was designed to handle the largest Post-Panamax vessels and doubled the port's capacity when it opened in 2016. Almost three quarters of
3498-514: The Paradise Project , a £920 million development based on Paradise Street . This produced one of the most significant changes to Liverpool's city centre since the post-war reconstruction. Renamed as ' Liverpool One ,' the centre opened in May 2008. In 2007, events and celebrations took place in honour of the 800th anniversary of the founding of the borough of Liverpool. Liverpool was designated as
3604-554: The Queensway Tunnel linking Liverpool and Birkenhead . Described as "the eighth wonder of the world" at the time of its construction, it was the longest underwater tunnel in the world for 24 years. In 1897, the Lumière brothers filmed Liverpool, including what is believed to be the world's first tracking shot , taken from the Liverpool Overhead Railway , the world's first elevated electrified railway. The Overhead Railway
3710-561: The River Dee continued to silt up, Liverpool began to grow with increasing rapidity. The first commercial wet dock was built in Liverpool in 1715. Substantial profits from the slave trade and tobacco helped the town to prosper and rapidly grow, although several prominent local men, including William Rathbone , William Roscoe and Edward Rushton , were at the forefront of the local abolitionist movement . The 19th century saw Liverpool rise to global economic importance. Pioneering, world first , technology and civic facilities launched in
3816-490: The Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government said: "Today's 'Liverpool city-region' Multi-Area Agreement will mean Merseyside's six councils will no longer have to work alone on their economy, they will work from the same blueprint with more devolved powers to deliver jobs, training, welfare support and economic resilience." A new crest and flag to represent the city region is to be revealed by late 2024, following
3922-548: The Silver Jubilee Bridge . A second six-lane toll bridge under the name Mersey Gateway , to relieve congestion on the ageing Silver Jubilee Bridge, opened in 2017. The bridge is designed to improve transport links between Widnes and Runcorn and other key locations in the vicinity. Major cycling routes on the National Cycle Network (such as National Cycle Route 56 and National Cycle Route 62 ) pass through
4028-609: The West Coast Main Line and investment in high speed Pendolino trains, means journey time to London Euston is within two hours via Avanti West Coast . East Midlands Railway serves Norwich , Manchester , Sheffield and Nottingham . TransPennine Express operates daily services to Leeds , Middlesbrough , Hull , York , and Newcastle . Northern operates to Huddersfield , Preston , Warrington , and Blackpool , whilst direct links to Birmingham are possible via West Midlands Trains . The sub-regional rail network
4134-469: The West Derby Hundred before growing in to a small town of farmers, fishermen and tradesmen and tactical army base for King John of England . The town was planned with its own castle , although due to outbreaks of disease and its subordinance to the nearby Roman port of Chester , the town's growth and prosperity stagnated until the late 17th and early 18th centuries. Substantial growth took place in
4240-418: The creative and digital industry . The area is strongly connected to global markets, through its ports, airports and by its many multinational companies. World companies such as Barclays Wealth , Jaguar Land Rover , Maersk , Novartis , Sony and Unilever , all have a major base of operation in the locality. Since its creation, the Liverpool city region authorities have overseen and invested in some of
4346-484: The first intercity railway , the first non-combustible warehouse system (the Royal Albert Dock ), and a pioneering elevated electrical railway ; it was granted city status in 1880 and was moved from Lancashire to the newly created county of Merseyside in 1974 . Like many other British cities, it entered a period of decline in the mid-20th century; however, it has experienced significant and ongoing regeneration since
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4452-482: The sea-holly was Liverpool's final choice. The initiative was designed to highlight growing threats to the UK's flower species and also ask the public about which flowers best represented their county. Capitalising on the popularity of 1960s rock groups, such as the Beatles , as well as the city's world-class art galleries, museums and landmarks, tourism and culture have become a significant factor in Liverpool's economy. In 2004, property developer Grosvenor started
4558-628: The unitary authority of Halton in Cheshire . The region had a population of 1,571,045 in 2022. The region's mayor and combined authority (LCRCA) have a devolution deal responsible for economic development, regeneration, transport, employment and skills, tourism, culture, housing, spatial planning and physical infrastructure. The region's economic development was supported by the Liverpool City Region Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP), established in 2010 as
4664-484: The " Merseybeat " sound, which became synonymous with the Beatles and fellow Liverpudlian rock bands. Influenced by American rhythm and blues and rock music, they also in turn strongly affected American music. The Beatles became internationally known in the early 1960s and performed around the world together ; they were, and continue to be, the most commercially successful and musically influential band in popular history. Their co-founder, singer, and composer John Lennon
4770-619: The 1200s, currently between Wirral and Liverpool City Centre at Seacombe, Woodside and Liverpool Pier Head. From 2009–2010 it had 684,000 passengers using the service . The Port of Liverpool handles most commercial shipping, but several other ports on the Wirral peninsula , such as Great Float and Queen Elizabeth II Dock , operate too. The Port of Liverpool is container ports that handles over 33 million tonnes of freight cargo per year and serves more than 100 global destinations including Africa, Australia, China, India,
4876-533: The 1800s to serve Liverpool's growing German, Greek, Nordic and Jewish communities, respectively. One of Liverpool's oldest surviving churches, St. Peter's Roman Catholic Church , served the Polish community in its final years as a place of worship. The 20th century saw Liverpool's established rank as a global economic powerhouse challenged. Its strategic location as an international seaport made it particularly vulnerable in two World wars . Economic depressions (both in
4982-557: The 1840s when Irish migrants began arriving by the hundreds of thousands as a result of the Great Famine . While many Irish settled during this time in the city, a large percentage also emigrated to the United States or moved to the industrial centres of Lancashire , Yorkshire and the Midlands . In her poetical illustration "Liverpool" (1832), which celebrates the city's worldwide commerce, Letitia Elizabeth Landon refers specifically to
5088-472: The 1920s and 1930s. In the 1920s and 1930s, as much as 15% of the city's population (around 140,000 people) was relocated from the inner-city to new purpose built, lower density suburban housing estates, based on the belief that this would improve their standard of living, though the overall benefits have been contested. Numerous private homes were also built during this era. During the Great Depression of
5194-411: The 19th century, some Welsh publications used the name " Lle'r Pwll " ("(the) place (of) the pool"), a reinterpretation of Lerpwl , probably in the belief that " Lle'r Pwll " was the original form. Another name, which is widely known even today, is Llynlleifiad , again a 19th-century coining. " Llyn " is pool, but " lleifiad " has no obvious meaning. G. Melville Richards (1910–1973),
5300-814: The Blind , Mechanics' Institute , High School for Girls, council house, and Juvenile Court were all founded in Liverpool. Charities such as the RSPCA , NSPCC , Age Concern , Relate , and Citizen's Advice Bureau all evolved from work in the city. The first lifeboat station, public bath and wash-house, sanitary act, medical officer for health ( William Henry Duncan ), district nurse, slum clearance , purpose-built ambulance, X-ray medical diagnosis, school of tropical medicine ( Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine ), motorised municipal fire-engine, free school meal, cancer research centre, and zoonosis research centre all originated in Liverpool. The first British Nobel Prize
5406-588: The Mayor of Liverpool, a post replaced by Council Leader in 2023, and the chairperson, as the representative, of the local enterprise partnership. The proposed authority was known as the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority up until submission to the Department for Communities and Local Government and the Greater Merseyside Combined Authority in the published scheme. The consultation preceding
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#17330944189715512-519: The Mersey, and the CSS Shenandoah surrendered there (being the final surrender at the end of the war). The city was also the center of Confederate purchasing war materiel, including arms and ammunition, uniforms, and naval supplies to be smuggled by British blockade runners to the South . For periods during the 19th century, the wealth of Liverpool exceeded that of London, and Liverpool's Custom House
5618-494: The Merseyside area. The fleet of the newly created Glenvale Transport mostly comprised elderly Leyland Titans and aging Dennis Darts , although efforts were made to update the fleet via an agreement with Essex-based dealer Ensignbus , seeing newer buses arrive regularly from the end of 2003 right up to the Stagecoach takeover in the summer of 2005. Several much newer buses, although in need of repair, were permanently stationed at
5724-718: The National Olympian Association in Liverpool, a forerunner of the British Olympic Association . Its articles of foundation provided the framework for the Olympic Charter . A concept devised by retail entrepreneur David Lewis , the first Christmas grotto opened in Lewis's department store in Liverpool in 1879. Sir Alfred Lewis Jones , a shipowner, introduced bananas to the UK via Liverpool's docks in 1884. The Mersey Railway , opened in 1886, incorporated
5830-582: The Police and Crime Commissioner for Merseyside, the police force for the city region. in 2016 the Cities and Local Government Devolution Act 2016 provided the provisions for Combined Authorities to establish elected "Mayors" to lead their respective regions combined authorities. the LCRCA decided on the creation of a Mayor for the City Region, replacing the need of a Chairperson who previously oversaw CA meetings. in 2017
5936-529: The Queen recognised Liverpool as "one of the most distinctive and energetic parts of the United Kingdom", and paid tribute to the city's "major orchestras, world-class museums and galleries". She also acknowledged Liverpool's bid to become the European Capital of Culture . To celebrate the Golden Jubilee of Elizabeth II in 2002, the conservation charity Plantlife organised a competition to choose county flowers ;
6042-718: The Stagecoach Merseyside fleet consisted of 380 buses, which are operated from a single depot in Gillmoss . Liverpool Liverpool is a cathedral city , port city , and metropolitan borough in Merseyside , England. It had a population of 496,770 in 2022. The city is located on the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary , adjacent to the Irish Sea , and is approximately 178 miles (286 km) northwest of London . Liverpool
6148-417: The UK's fastest growing economy outside London, one of the UK's top three biomedical centres, and has the UK's second largest wealth management industry. The region is largely monocentric with Liverpool as the dominant employment centre, however economic activity is widely spread across the six districts. Broadly speaking Liverpool is the commercial, cultural and transport hub of the region, with Sefton as
6254-515: The UK's first Underwriters' Association and the first Institute of Accountants . The Western world's first financial derivatives (cotton futures) were traded on the Liverpool Cotton Exchange in the late 1700s. In the arts, Liverpool was home to the first lending library ( The Lyceum ), athenaeum society ( Liverpool Athenaeum ), arts centre ( Bluecoat Chambers ), and public art conservation centre ( National Conservation Centre ). It
6360-405: The UK's largest and most ambitious development and infrastructure schemes which include the following: The Liverpool City Region has a transport network that is connected locally, nationally, and internationally by road, rail, sea and air. The region is served by a network of six motorways ( M58 to the north, M56 to the south, M6 & M62 to the east and M53 to the west). In addition,
6466-414: The United Kingdom and across the world), changing housing patterns and containerisation in the maritime industry contributed to a downtrend in the city's productivity and prosperity. Despite this, the city's influence on global popular culture excelled and by the end of the century, the continuing process of urban renewal paved the way for the redefined modern city of the 21st century. The period after
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#17330944189716572-440: The announcement that Merseytravel , the city region's transport authority, would be renamed Transport for Liverpool City Region . The combined authority of Liverpool City Region includes the local government districts of Liverpool , Halton , Knowsley , Sefton , St Helens and Wirral . Some definitions of the city region include a much wider area. The now revoked North West of England Regional Spatial Strategy defined
6678-411: The area. More immigrants arrived after World War II, mostly settling in older inner-city areas such as Toxteth , where housing was less expensive. The black population of Liverpool was recorded at 1.90% in 2011. In the 2021 Census , 5.2% described themselves as black African, Caribbean, mixed white and black African, mixed white and Caribbean or 'other black'. In the 1960s, Liverpool was the centre of
6784-451: The authority will use the public name of Liverpool City Region Combined Authority. The Liverpool City Region Combined Authority (LCRCA) is the main governing body for the Liverpool City Region, providing governance of the City Region using powers devolved from Central Government, the current Composition of the Combined Authority is: Constituent Members (Voting): As well as these members there are non voting non constituent members, such as
6890-513: The base of Seaforth Dock and tourist resort of Southport , Halton as the location for chemical, science, technology, logistics and distribution companies, and Knowsley, St Helens and Wirral providing key manufacturing and logistics for the area. The city of Liverpool itself has a compact travel to work area reflecting its position on the North West Atlantic Seaboard and compactness of the surrounding urban area. The city region
6996-511: The central government in London. Liverpool in the 1980s has been labelled as Britain's 'shock city'. Once the second city of the British Empire which rivalled the capital city in global significance, Liverpool had collapsed in to its 'nadir' at the depths of post-colonial , post-industrial Britain. In the late 20th century, Liverpool's economy began to recover. The late 1980s saw the opening of
7102-523: The city and form an important part of the economy. In June 2014, Prime Minister David Cameron launched the International Festival for Business in Liverpool, the world's largest business event in 2014, and the largest in the UK since the Festival of Britain in 1951. The Labour Party has chosen Liverpool numerous times since the mid 2010s for their annual Labour Party Conference . Liverpool hosted
7208-598: The city region for "the purposes of articulating RSS policy" as covering the six local authorities and extending "as far as Chester , Ellesmere Port and Neston and West Lancashire ". A 2011 report, Liverpool City Region –– Building on its Strengths , by an independent working group led by Lord Heseltine and Terry Leahy , stated that "what is now called Liverpool City Region has a population of around 1.5 million", but also referred to "an urban region that spreads from Wrexham and Flintshire to Chester , Warrington , West Lancashire and across to Southport ", with
7314-494: The city to serve the accelerating population which was fuelled by an influx of ethnic and religious communities from all around the world. By the start of the 19th century, a large volume of trade was passing through Liverpool, and the construction of major buildings reflected this wealth. In 1830, Liverpool and Manchester became the first cities to have an intercity rail link, through the Liverpool and Manchester Railway . The population continued to rise rapidly, especially during
7420-473: The city's docks became largely obsolete, and dock workers were made unemployed. By the early 1980s, unemployment rates in Liverpool were among the highest in the UK, standing at 17% by January 1982 although, this was about half the level of unemployment that had affected the city during the Great Depression some 50 years previously. During this period, Liverpool became a hub of fierce left-wing opposition to
7526-484: The city. By the 2020s, urban regeneration throughout the city continues. Liverpool Waters , a mixed-use development in the city's disused northern docklands, has been identified as one of the largest megaprojects in the UK's history. Everton's new stadium at Bramley-Moore Dock was regarded as the largest single-site private sector development in the United Kingdom at the time of construction. Major events, business and political conferences regularly take place in
7632-704: The councils have co-operated as permitted by the Local Government Act 1972 and required by the Local Government Act 1985 , for example the Merseyside Waste Disposal Authority and the Merseyside Passenger Transport Authority . Liverpool City Region's proposal to central government for a combined authority was approved by Parliamentary statutory order in late March, and it legally came into existence from 1 April 2014. Liverpool City Region Combined Authority will become
7738-453: The creation of the combined authority showed strong support for a name including 'Liverpool' rather than 'Merseyside', in order to capitalise and build upon Liverpool’s global ‘brand’. The name was changed to the Halton, Knowsley, Liverpool, St Helens, Sefton and Wirral Combined Authority in the draft order presented to parliament. On 21 February 2014 it was decided by the constituent councils that
7844-449: The depot. Glenvale had an annual turnover of approximately £25 million. On numerous occasions Stagecoach made bids for some or all of the companies making up the former MTL Trust Holdings . In June 1998 MTL sold off MTL London but Stagecoach were outbid by the then independent Metroline . When MTL went bankrupt in January 2000 Stagecoach were very interested in acquiring the company but
7950-562: The early 1930s, unemployment peaked at around 30% in the city. Liverpool was the site of Britain's first provincial airport , operating from 1930. During the Second World War , the critical strategic importance of Liverpool was recognised by both Hitler and Churchill . The city was heavily bombed by the Germans, suffering a blitz second only to London's. The pivotal Battle of the Atlantic
8056-450: The first Mayoral election took place in which Steve Rotheram was elected as the first Mayor. at the time the office was styled "Metro Mayor of the Liverpool City Region" to avoid confusion with the "Mayor of Liverpool" the then council leader of Liverpool City Council, which was abolished in 2023 and replaced by a Council Leader inline with other councils in the City Region. Presently the Office
8162-503: The formation of the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority in a form of devolution . With a devolved budget granted by central government , the authority now oversees and invests in foremost strategic affairs throughout the Liverpool City Region , including major regeneration projects. The authority, along with Liverpool City Council itself, has embarked on long-term plans to grow the population and economy of
8268-558: The mid-late 18th century when the town became the most heavily involved European port in the Atlantic slave trade . King John 's letters patent of 1207 announced the foundation of the borough of Liverpool (then spelt as Liuerpul ). There is no evidence that the place had previously been a centre of any trade. The creation of the borough was probably due to King John deciding it would be a convenient place to embark men and supplies for his Irish campaigns , in particular John's Irish campaign of 1209 . The original street plan of Liverpool
8374-421: The most visited, tourist orientated, cities in the United Kingdom. City leaders are focussing on long-term strategies to grow the city's population and economy, while national government explores the continuous potential for devolution in the city. In 2002, Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh visited Liverpool to mark the Golden Jubilee . On speaking to an audience at Liverpool Town Hall ,
8480-606: The multi-billion- pound Liverpool ONE development, regeneration continued throughout the 2010s. Some of the most significant redevelopment projects included new buildings in the Commercial District , King's Dock , Mann Island , around Lime Street , the Baltic Triangle , RopeWalks , and Edge Lane . Changes to Liverpool's governance took place in 2014. The local authority of Liverpool City Council decided to pool its power and resources with surrounding boroughs through
8586-588: The private sector-led board comprising political and business leaders from around the city region. The LEP's functions were merged into the combined authority in 2023. In 2004, the Government of the United Kingdom launched an initiative to strengthen the economy and quality of life in Northern England . Yorkshire Forward , One NorthEast , and the Northwest Regional Development Agency ,
8692-408: The region had a population of 1,571,045. The Liverpool City Region is strongly established as an important driving force in the economy of Northern England and as a strategic sea and air gateway to the European Union . It connects to North America, Ireland, the Isle of Man , Europe and beyond; serving international, national and regional markets, investors and visitors. In 2008–2010, Liverpool had
8798-520: The region too such as New Brighton and the Wirral Way . Major bus companies are Stagecoach Merseyside and Arriva North West . Liverpool One bus station serves as a terminus for national coach travel. Liverpool Lime Street , the region's main terminal train station, is served by five train operating companies serving a wide variety of destinations, and is used by 11.8 million passengers per year. Improved rail connectivity, including upgrades to
8904-533: The region will benefit from Britain's new high-speed rail network , due for completion by 2032, even though the new line will not extend into the region. Journey times to London from Liverpool would be cut by 32 minutes under the proposals. Pressure has been put on the government to extend high speed rail into Liverpool's city centre. Liverpool Cruise Terminal provides long-distance passenger cruises, Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines MS Black Watch and Cruise & Maritime Voyages MS Magellan using
9010-543: The region's principal port on the Irish Sea . However, as the Dee began to silt up , maritime trade from Chester became increasingly difficult and shifted towards Liverpool on the neighbouring River Mersey . The first of the Liverpool docks was constructed in 1715, and the system of docks gradually grew into a large interconnected system. As trade from the West Indies , including sugar, surpassed that of Ireland and Europe, and as
9116-551: The region, whilst Peel Ports have also planned a second cruise terminal as part of the Liverpool Waters project. Global air connectivity to and from the region is provided by two international airports: Liverpool John Lennon Airport (LJLA) is one of the oldest operational airports in the United Kingdom. Manchester Airport is situated 29 miles from Liverpool city centre . Liverpool John Lennon Airport, situated 6.5 miles (10.5 km) south east of Liverpool city centre
9222-440: The subject of condemnation. Historian Raphael Samuel labelled Graeme Shankland "the butcher of Liverpool". A significant West Indian black community has existed in the city since the first two decades of the 20th century. Like most British cities and industrialised towns, Liverpool became home to a significant number of Commonwealth immigrants, beginning after World War I with colonial soldiers and sailors who had served in
9328-470: The terminal to depart to Iceland , France , Spain and Norway . Leeds and Liverpool Canal and Manchester Ship Canal are the main canal systems. Prince's Landing Stage, Pier Head , Liverpool serves Isle of Man Steam Packet Company summer service to the Isle of Man (and Mersey Ferries). Twelve Quays , Birkenhead ferry port serves winter Isle of Man ferry service and Stena Line to Belfast , Northern Ireland . The Mersey Ferry has operated since
9434-798: The three regional development agencies in the North of England, were invited to form a partnership, and in September 2004, they published the document Moving Forward: The Northern Way First Growth Strategy Report . Within the document, eight city regions in the North were identified, including the Liverpool city region. It was argued that economic growth could be accelerated with the establishment of new city region governance that surpassed existing administrative boundaries to more accurately reflect travel to work areas , catchment areas , housing market areas , and labour market areas . On 13 March 2007, local government minister Phil Woolas announced plans to create
9540-612: The time had a school bus division in nearby Kirkby , the Go-Ahead Group and Transdev who at the time were bidding for Merseytravel 's cancelled Merseytram scheme who seemed like the front runners to buy Glenvale Transport. However, on 13 July 2005, Glenvale Transport accepted a reported £3.4 million cash offer for the company from the Stagecoach Group who in turn agreed to absorb Glenvale's debt of approximately £7 million. Rebranded Stagecoach Merseyside, Glenvale Transport Limited
9646-421: The top-tier administrative body of Liverpool City Region. It will be a body corporate responsible for strategic decision making. The six local authorities in the area constituting the combined authority will pool together powers over economic development, regeneration and transport policy. The combined authority originally comprised seven members: the council leaders of Halton, Knowsley, Sefton, St Helens and Wirral,
9752-672: The words of historian Sven Beckert , "the most pro-Confederate place in the world outside the Confederacy itself." Liverpool merchants helped to bring out cotton from ports blockaded by the Union Navy , built ships of war for the Confederacy , and supplied the South with military equipment and credit. During the war, the Confederate Navy ship, the CSS Alabama , was built at Birkenhead on
9858-419: The world's first tunnel under a tidal estuary and the world's first deep-level underground stations ( Liverpool James Street railway station ). In 1889, borough engineer John Alexander Brodie invented the football goal net. He was also a pioneer in the use of pre-fabricated housing and oversaw the construction of the UK's first ring road ( A5058 ) and intercity highway ( East Lancashire Road ), as well as
9964-444: The world. It has also produced many academics , actors , artists , comedians , filmmakers , poets , scientists , sportspeople , and writers . In sports, it is known as the home of Premier League football teams Everton FC and Liverpool FC . The world's oldest still-operating mainline train station, Liverpool Lime Street , is in the city centre; transport is also served by the underground Merseyrail network. The city's port
10070-497: Was again outbid this time by Arriva . Apart from a Stagecoach Ribble/North West service between Southport and Preston and a Sunday only Lancashire County Council contract from Liverpool to Preston/ Blackpool it seemed unlikely that Stagecoach would ever have significant operations on Merseyside. When rumours of a sale at Glenvale Transport surfaced around 2005 it was FirstGroup with its nearby operations First Chester & The Wirral and First Greater Manchester - which at
10176-480: Was awarded in 1902 to Ronald Ross , professor at the School of Tropical Medicine, the first school of its kind in the world. Orthopaedic surgery was pioneered in Liverpool by Hugh Owen Thomas , and modern medical anaesthetics by Thomas Cecil Gray . The world's first integrated sewer system was constructed in Liverpool by James Newlands , appointed in 1847 as the UK's first borough engineer. Liverpool also founded
10282-404: Was built before 1235, it survived until it was demolished in the 1720s. By the middle of the 16th century, the population was still around 600, although this was likely to have fallen from an earlier peak of 1000 people due to slow trade and the effects of the plague . In the 17th century, there was slow progress in trade and population growth. Battles for control of the town were waged during
10388-616: Was killed in New York City in 1980. Liverpool Airport was renamed after him in 2002, the first British airport to be named in honour of an individual. Previously part of Lancashire, and a county borough from 1889, Liverpool became a metropolitan borough within the newly created metropolitan county of Merseyside , in 1974. From the mid-1970s onwards, Liverpool's docks and traditional manufacturing industries declined due to restructuring of shipping and heavy industry, causing massive losses of jobs. The advent of containerisation meant that
10494-506: Was planned, fought and won from Liverpool. The Luftwaffe made 80 air raids on Merseyside , killing 2,500 people and causing damage to almost half the homes in the metropolitan area. Significant rebuilding followed the war, including massive housing estates and the Seaforth Dock , the largest dock project in Britain. Since 1952, Liverpool has been twinned with Cologne , Germany,
10600-629: Was retained as the company's legal name and introduced 75 new low-floor Plaxton Pointer -bodied Dennis Dart buses to replace elderly step entrance buses. The management of Stagecoach Merseyside as GTL had become - although Glenvale Transport Ltd is still the company's legal lettering, was passed to Stagecoach UK Bus MD Les Warneford, and Tom Wileman, Regional Director, Stephen Riggans, formerly of Arriva UK Bus, would later become Managing Director. In late January 2013 Stagecoach purchased First Chester & The Wirral bus operations in and these now operate as part of Stagecoach Merseyside. As of July 2024,
10706-578: Was the local enterprise partnership (LEP) for Liverpool City Region. The LEP initiated Mersey Waters Enterprise Zone , which was set up in 2012. The enterprise zone contains two sites, Liverpool Waters and Wirral Waters . in April 2023 the LEP announced that it would be integrated as a department of the Combined Authority as the Business and Enterprise Board of the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority. In 2022
10812-454: Was the first railway in the world to use electric multiple units , employ automatic signalling, and install an escalator. Liverpool inventor Frank Hornby was a visionary in toy development and manufacture, producing three of the most popular lines of toys in the 20th century: Meccano , Hornby Model Railways (both in 1901), and Dinky Toys in 1934. The British Interplanetary Society , founded in Liverpool in 1933 by Phillip Ellaby Cleator,
10918-485: Was the fourth largest in the UK in 2023, with numerous shipping and freight lines having headquarters and offices there. Residents of Liverpool are often called "Scousers" in reference to scouse , a local stew made popular by sailors in the city, while "Scouse" is also the most common name given to the distinctive local accent . The city's cultural and ethnic diversity has resulted from its history of attracting immigrants, especially from Ireland, Scandinavia, and Wales; it
11024-523: Was the largest store in the world at the time. Between 1862 and 1867, Liverpool held an annual Grand Olympic Festival . Devised by John Hulley and Charles Pierre Melly , these games were the first to be wholly amateur in nature and international in outlook. The programme of the first modern Olympiad in Athens in 1896 was almost identical to that of the Liverpool Olympics. In 1865, Hulley co-founded
11130-575: Was the single largest contributor to the British Exchequer . Liverpool was the only British city ever to have its own Whitehall office. During this century, at least 40% of the world's entire trade passed through Liverpool. In the early 19th century, Liverpool played a major role in the Antarctic sealing industry, in recognition of which Liverpool Beach in the South Shetland Islands
11236-512: Was to a pool or tidal creek now filled up into which two streams drained". The place appearing as Leyrpole , in a legal record of 1418, may also refer to Liverpool. Other origins of the name have been suggested, including "elverpool", a reference to the large number of eels in the Mersey . The adjective "Liverpudlian" was first recorded in 1833. Although the Old English origin of the name Liverpool
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