LIFE
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LIFE
Bid to name new Baltic rail station after ‘punk princess’ By HARLEY MULLEN New contenders for the name of a Liverpool train station have gained traction in the Baltic Triangle.
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upport is growing for a new Merseyrail station in Liverpool to be named after a veteran figure in the city’s creative industries. The public have been asked to vote on the name for the soon-to-be reopened St James station, in the Baltic Triangle. The station is scheduled to open to passengers in 2025. Three options were on the shortlist: Liverpool Baltic, Liverpool Parliament Street and Liverpool Riverside. However, the Baltic Market have put forward their own suggestion with a special reason.
A campaign was launched on Change.org for the new station to be named St.Jayne, after Jayne Casey, a ‘70s punk legend who played a part in the creation of the area in the early 2000s. Launched two weeks ago, the campaign has already gathered over 550 signatures. Spearheaded by Daniel Hunt, the page reads: “Jayne Casey played a huge part in the Baltic resurgence; pioneering the creation of the Baltic Creative. “Put simply, without the foresight of Jayne Casey there would be no Baltic Triangle.”
Tristan Brady-Jacobs, owner of the HOBO Kiosk and board member of the Baltic Triangle Community Interest Company (CIC), said he would love for people to vote for Jayne: “One of my great friends is Jayne Casey and she is the punk princess of the city. “She is a woman – a working class girl who came from difficult circumstances and rose to be a global icon – one of our wonderful hidden treasures.” He added:” We’re a city of storytellers. Let’s tell more stories by inventing curious reasons why we call things rather than going on the nose and being a little bit dull and straight forward – that’s not Liverpool, Liverpool is wild-eyed and wonderful!” Jayne Casey was born in 1956 and is best known for her involvement in the Liverpool punk and new wave scene. She featured in bands such as Big in Japan, Pink Military and Pink Industry in the ‘70s and ‘80s. The artist was also involved in the planning and directing of city arts events, including 2008 Capital of Culture. These events led to the setting up of a Liverpool creative area – the ‘Baltic Triangle’. Despite stepping down from her position on Baltic Creative’s Board of Directors in 2018, Jayne remains involved in the area to this day as a Founding Director. The new railway stop will be based at the site of the former St James’ station which was closed during the First World War as a cost-cutting measure. The station was never reopened. Entertainment venues and businesses situated in the Baltic Triangle have been delighted to see more money put into the area.
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CGI images recently released show what the station might look like once its open. Photos: LCR Combined
ussell Gannon, Marketing and Communications Director of the Baltic Triangle Area CIC, told MNL: “The Baltic Triangle Area CIC has been lobbying the local government for the last five years to get some direct transport links into the area. “As you can imagine, parking isn’t the best and with the district now a tourist destination, it makes sense to re-open the St James Station.” Russell added that the company was asked by Merseyrail and Liverpool City Region for ideas regarding the potential name options for the station. He said: “ ‘Baltic Triangle’ won hands down but bizarrely they went with ‘Baltic Liverpool’.”
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The new station will give direct access to the fast-growing pocket of the city and the nearby waterfront. A £1.5m investment by the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority has allowed the highlyanticipated project to move onto the next stage. Brady Jacobs said: “Mark Lawler, the manager of the Baltic Creative CIC, has been the prime mover of this and he is really positive and optimistic that it’s going to bring in and allow greater activity within the commercial sector, which I agree with”
“Put simply, without the foresight of Jayne Casey there would be no Baltic Triangle” Speaking on Instagram @BalticMarket said: “This station will be a 30 second walk to us! It’s going to be so great for everyone here in @ CainsBreweryVillage and @BalticTriangle” Steve Rotheram, Mayor of the Liverpool City Region, said: “I am ambitious about the future of public transport in our region and Liverpool’s new station – alongside another new station at Headbolt Lane in Kirkby – are only the first step towards an expanded Merseyrail for All network. “I want our region to have what London has had for years - a transport system that is affordable, reliable, and easy to use.” The petition can be found on the Change.Org website at https://www. change.org/p/liverpool-cityregion-authority-rename-liverpooltrain-station-st-james-as-st-jayne-s • The official public vote is open until 5pm on Friday February 18 and can be accessed at https://newliver poolstation.commonplace.is/
