Funding in doubt for Wirral Transport Museum?

In a story published on the Wirral Globe website under the headline “Transport museum and ferry village plans reportedly in jeopardy” doubt has been expressed that the previously earmarked funding for the wider project around Woodside Ferry, which includes the development of Wirral Transport Museum, will now be available with the local council considering diverting it to other projects.

Big Heritage had taken over the Transport Museum (and tramway) in December 2023 with both having been closed 8 months earlier following an inspection by the Office of Rail and Road. They gave an update in late 2024 of their plans which would include a major refurbishment of the museum – with some suggestions that its floor space would be drastically increased – to allow the complete story of transport in Birkenhead to be told. They also had plans to work on the tramway to allow a tram service to run at some point in the future (unlikely to be before 2026 at the earliest).

A lot of this would have been possible thanks to a £4.5 million grant from Wirral Council with a further almost £750,000 awarded to the Woodside Ferry village redevelopment project. Both these projects were expected to run in tandem to provide an area that people would want to visit. In addition the Liverpool City Region are funding a major rebuild of the Woodside Ferry terminal (which is currently closed for this work to happen).

But the local press reports are now suggesting that the Council are considering diverting the previously announced funding to other projects in Birkenhead. This includes the provision of a new Birkenhead Market in a former Argos.

When the Wirral Globe contacted the Council they declined to comment and Big Heritage have also made no public comment about this turn of events.

The Woodside Area CIC did comment though: “Woodside Ferry Area CIC has made a significant contribution to the regeneration of Birkenhead’s waterfront since 2018. Through its food village, weekend markets, and diverse entertainment offerings, the CIC has played a crucial role in animating the area, supporting new and existing businesses, and creating employment opportunities for the local community.

“We believe that Birkenhead’s heritage remains a significant asset to our community, with the prospect of attracting thousands more visitors to the area. Partners including the transport museum have made significant progress in recent years and we remain committed to supporting their efforts in championing heritage and attracting more visitors to Birkenhead.

“Woodside still has a significant role to play in the future of Birkenhead’s visitor economy and we will continue to champion local enterprise and economic growth, ensuring that businesses and the wider community benefit from future opportunities.”

Big Heritage had been planning to showcase their plans for the Transport Museum in the first half of 2025 but these are presumably now on hold with the possible removal of funding in the offing.