The firm will focus on re-engineering major routes and widening pavements from the city’s commercial district through to the retail and knowledge districts.

The first element will begin on Victoria Street running from North John Street to the Queensway Tunnel and is expected to complete in November.

Councillor James Noakes, Liverpool City Council’s Cabinet Member for Highways, said: “With a growing residential population, a huge rise in visitors and major developments now taking shape, how we navigate around the city centre needs a radical rethink in key locations and some major improvements.

“The beginning of phase one at Victoria Street signals a new chapter for how we use our city centre, which when fully completed will open up some exciting opportunities in our public realm and will redefine how everyone from residents, workers, shoppers, students and tourists can enjoy exploring and discovering this amazing city.”

The remaining packages of the LCCC scheme will see a remodelling of Lime Street, with a new event space, and The Strand as well as the introduction of new bridges across Canning Dock to enhance the visitor experience to the city’s museums and World Heritage site.

The LCCC scheme is one of the flagship highways projects in the city council’s wider £500m Better Roads programme.

This also includes a £100m programme to upgrade the city’s North Liverpool corridor with the creation of two new waterfront link roads to support the council’s proposed new Cruise Liner Terminal and a new Isle of Man Ferry Terminal at Peel Land and Property’s £5bn Liverpool Waters scheme.