Collection

King Charles III England Coast Path: Cleveleys to Pier Head, Liverpool

Find out about the progress of improving coastal access – including maps, process and timing - in Lancashire and Merseyside.

Map of the stretch

Natural England has begun to investigate how to improve coastal access along a 116.5 km (72 miles) stretch of the Lancashire and Merseyside coast between Cleveleys and Pier Head, Liverpool.

Officers from Lancashire and Merseyside access authorities are providing Natural England with expert local advice and helping to make sure there is full consultation with local interests during the development of the route.

South Promenade (Kingsway) to Tarleton Lock

Stage 5

On 6 April 2022, the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs approved the remaining sections of coast path between Cleveleys and Pier Head, Liverpool.

The reports are still available to view.

Natural England will publish further details of the approved route in due course.

You can see the current status of the collection in the table.

Report number and title Stage 5 (approved)
CPH 1: South Promenade (Kingsway), Cleveleys to Brades Lane, Freckleton 6 April 2022
CPH 2: Brades Lane, Freckleton to Penwortham New Bridge, Preston 6 April 2022
CPH 3: Penwortham New Bridge, Preston to Tarleton Lock 6 April 2022
CPH 4: Tarleton Lock to Southport beach car park 31 August 2021
CPH 5: Southport beach car park to Cabin Hill National Nature Reserve 23 April 2021
CPH 6: Cabin Hill National Nature Reserve to Pier Head, Liverpool 31 August 2021

Next steps

Stage 5: Open

Work is now underway to prepare the new stretch of coast path for public use. The first step is to contact owners and occupiers of the affected land to discuss the design and location of any new infrastructure which is needed, such as signs and gates.

When preparations are complete, new access rights will come into force along the route and adjoining spreading room. For further advice see the detailed guide below.

Tarleton Lock to Pier Head, Liverpool

Stage 5: Open

This 36.4 miles (58.6km) stretch of the England Coast Path (ECP) is now open to the public. Coastal access rights came into force along this section of the Cleveleys to Pier Head stretch on Wednesday 10 May 2023, by order of the Secretary of State.

The route is available to view on the National Trails website.

If you are planning a walk on the ECP, check our interactive access maps for details of local access restrictions and coast path diversions which may apply at certain times.

Coastal access rights normally apply to all land that is coastal margin - including any land seaward of the route - unless it falls into a category of excepted land.

Use the links below to see details of the Secretary of State’s decision to approve Natural England’s proposals and for guidance on your rights and responsibilities if the ECP passes through your land.

Find out more about the England Coast Path

See information about all stretches in preparation around England’s coast.

The coastal access scheme gives details of the process being followed to improve access to the coast.

Contact the coastal access team

Contact Natural England with any comments, suggestions or queries you have about improving coastal access.

Coastal access (North west)

Natural England
Murley Moss Business Village
Oxenholme Road
Kendal
Cumbria
LA9 7RL

Email northwestcoastalaccess@naturalengland.org.uk

Telephone 0300 060 3900

See the map below for information about progress on improving coastal access in other parts of north west.

Updates to this page

Published 27 March 2017
Last updated 10 May 2023 + show all updates
  1. Page updated to show the Tarleton Lock to Pier Head, Liverpool section of this stretch is now open to the public.

  2. Page updated to show the remaining lengths in this stretch (CPH1, CPH2,and CPH3) have been approved.

  3. Page updated to show that lengths CPH4 and CPH6 have been approved.

  4. Added table showing the reports which make up the collection. Page updated to show that 1 of the 6 reports has received Secretary of State approval.

  5. Page updated to show this stretch is now at stage 4. Length of the stretch amended from 124 km to 116.5 km (72 miles).

  6. Removed the sentence giving a date for when access is expected to be ready. Publication of the report is expected in autumn 2019.

  7. Page updated to show stretch is now at stage 2/3.

  8. First published.