Tale of two cities: Liverpool

16.02.16: LIVERPOOL is undergoing an extraordinary regeneration.

It is being heralded as England's fastest-growing Green City, with a population increase of more than 15% in the past decade.

Following a period of sustained decline, the opening of a rapid rail link to Europe five years ago, combined with Liverpool's increased status as a holding centre for goods from the US, has resulted in a startling drop in regional unemployment figures.

Investment in dockside tourist, retail and entertainment facilities in the mid-1980s has started to pay dividends, as the halo effect spreads to city beautification.

The introduction of trams and the exclusion of other traffic has resulted in an almost pollution-free city, attracting young families and a strong middle-class contingent to what is becoming an important arts centre for the northwest. PF