Exciting plans for a new light rail system to link up key areas of Liverpool city centre have been revealed.
Mayor Joe Anderson said the ambitious vision for a light-transit network between Lime Street Station, the landmark Paddington Village development and the city's Knowledge Quarter and universities is being worked up.
The plans form part of the wide-reaching city centre connectivity scheme, designed to improve how people move around the city centre - and get more people ditching cars and using public transport.
The team behind Liverpool's Knowledge Quarter have already talked about the potential for a new public square in front of the Adelphi Hotel - which could link into a suggested 'Lime Line' public transport system.
They hope it could become Liverpool's version of New York's iconic Times Square.
This and an improved Liverpool Central station would link into the plans for a light transit network.
Speaking after a regeneration committee meeting this week, Mayor Anderson said the light rail plan is moving forward.
He said: "It's all to do with the Knowledge Quarter, we have been looking at some of these vehicles that don't need rail to run.
"These are electric vehicles that are not fixed to a track.
"It would be look from connect Lime Street to the Universities and Paddington Village along Brownlow Hill.
"Cycle lanes are really important but public transport is too - and finding new ways to move people around the city centre that doesn't involve cars.
"We are working with the universities, the Knowledge Quarter and Merseytravel to look at clean, green and quiet light transit options."
It is thought a new 24-hour eco-friendly light rail network is the next stage in the city centre's development - and could tie together a host of projects.
Speaking about the 'Lime Square' idea in 2017, Colin Sinclair, chief executive of Liverpool's Knowledge Quarter said: "“We mapped all the pedestrian and traffic flow in and out of Liverpool. And you very quickly realise that there’s an epicentre to Liverpool – the area in front of the Adelphi Hotel.
“So we’ve come up with a proposal for a new public square.
“At Lime Square you’d have this really exciting and vibrant place – say Liverpool’s version of Times Square in New York, a really cool central bit of Liverpool that everyone’s coming to.”
At that point, there were a number of options being suggested for the so-called 'Lime Line' transport network - including driverless shuttle buses or a raised busway.
But from Mayor Anderson's comments this week, it looks like a light transit network is the preferred option.
