View source for Merseyside

{{Short description|County of England}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2024}}
{{Use British English|date=July 2014}}
{{infobox English county
| official_name           = Merseyside
| other_name              = 
| image_main              = {{multiple image
| border = infobox | perrow = 1/2 | total_width = 270
| image1 = Pier Head, Liverpool - geograph.org.uk - 3059094.jpg
| image2 = Crosby Beach, Another Place - geograph.org.uk - 4943623 (cropped).jpg
| image3 = Roman pavilion, Birkenhead Park 2019-2.jpg
}}
| image_caption           = Left to right: {{ubl|[[Pier Head]], Liverpool|[[Another Place (sculpture)|''Another Place'']] at [[Crosby Beach]]|Roman pavilion at [[Birkenhead Park]]}}
| flag_image              = 
| flag_link               = 
| arms_image              = 
| arms_link               = 
| motto                   = <!--for non-English motto, use: ''Motto in italics''<br />("English translation")-->
| locator_map             = Merseyside UK locator map 2010.svg
| map_caption             = Location of Merseyside within England
| coordinates             = {{coord|53|25|N|3|00|W|region:GB_type:adm1st|display=title, inline}}
| region                  = [[North West England]]
| established_date        = 1 April 1974
| established_by          = [[Local Government Act 1972]]
| preceded_by             = 
| origin                  = 
| MPs                     = [[List of parliamentary constituencies in Merseyside|15 MPs]]
| police                  = [[Merseyside Police]]
| largest_city            = [[Liverpool]]
| largest_town            = <!-- only shown if largest_city is not set -->
<!-- Ceremonial county -->
| lord_lieutenant_office  = Lord Lieutenant of Merseyside
| lord_lieutenant_name    = Mark Blundell
| high_sheriff_office     = High Sheriff of Merseyside
| high_sheriff_name       = Nigel Lanceley
| mayor_office            = 
| mayor_name              = 
| area_total_km2          = {{English cerem counties|ARE=Merseyside}}
| area_total_rank         = {{English cerem counties|ARK=Merseyside}}
| ethnicity               = 
<!-- Metropolitan county -->
| county_council          = <!-- only for counties with county councils -->
| unitary_council         = <!-- only for unitary counties like Northumberland -->
| unitary_council1        = <!-- and unitary_council2 etc. only for hybrid counties *-->
| government              = <!-- for other government such as Greater Manchester Combined Authority -->
| joint_committees        = 
| admin_hq                = 
| area_council_km2        = 
| area_council_rank       = 
| population_council      = 
| density_council         = 
| iso_code                = 
| ons_code                = 
| gss_code                = E11000002
| nuts_code               = 
| website                 = 
<!-- Maps -->
| districts_map           = [[File:Merseyside numbered districts.svg|200px]]
| districts_key           = {{Colorsample|#FEC1E9}} [[Metropolitan borough|Metropolitan districts]]
| districts_list          = 
#[[Liverpool|City of Liverpool]]
#[[Metropolitan Borough of Sefton|Sefton]]
#[[Metropolitan Borough of Knowsley|Knowsley]]
#[[Metropolitan Borough of St Helens|St Helens]]
#[[Metropolitan Borough of Wirral|Wirral]]
}}
'''Merseyside''' ({{IPAc-en|ˈ|m|ɜr|z|i|s|aɪ|d|audio=LL-Q1860 (eng)-Flame, not lame-Merseyside.wav}} {{respell|MUR|zee|syde}}) is a [[ceremonial counties of England|ceremonial]] and [[metropolitan county]] in [[North West England]]. It borders [[Lancashire]] to the north, [[Greater Manchester]] to the east, [[Cheshire]] to the south, the [[Wales|Welsh]] county of [[Flintshire]] across the [[Dee Estuary]] to the southwest, and the [[Irish Sea]] to the west. The largest settlement is the city of [[Liverpool]].

The county is highly urbanised, with an area of {{convert|249|sqmi|km2|0}} and a population of 1.42 million in 2007.<ref>{{cite web|title=2007 Mid Year Estimates|publisher=statistics.gov.uk |url=http://www.statistics.gov.uk/statbase/Product.asp?vlnk=15106 |access-date=9 September 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081216083533/http://www.statistics.gov.uk/statbase/Product.asp?vlnk=15106 |archive-date=16 December 2008 }}</ref> After Liverpool (552,267), the largest settlements are [[Birkenhead]] (143,968), [[St Helens, Merseyside|St Helens]] (102,629), and [[Southport]] (94,421). For [[Local government in England|local government]] purposes the county comprises five [[metropolitan borough]]s: [[Metropolitan Borough of Knowsley|Knowsley]], [[Metropolitan Borough of St Helens|St Helens]], [[Metropolitan Borough of Sefton|Sefton]], [[Metropolitan Borough of Wirral|Wirral]], and Liverpool. The borough councils, together with that of [[Borough of Halton|Halton]] in Cheshire, collaborate through the [[Liverpool City Region Combined Authority]].

What is now Merseyside was a largely rural area until the [[Industrial Revolution]], when Liverpool and Birkenhead's positions on the [[Mersey Estuary]] enabled them to expand. Liverpool became a major port, heavily involved in the [[Atlantic slave trade]] and in supplying cotton to the mills of Lancashire, and Birkenhead developed into a centre for shipbuilding. Innovations during this period included the [[Liverpool and Manchester Railway|first inter-city railway]], the first [[Birkenhead Park|publicly-funded civic park]], advances in [[Royal Albert Dock, Liverpool|dock technology]], and a pioneering [[Liverpool Overhead Railway|elevated electrical railway]]. The county was established in 1974, before which the entirety of the [[Wirral Peninsula|Wirral]] was in Cheshire and the remainder of the county was in Lancashire.

Merseyside is notable for its sport, music, and cultural institutions. The [[Merseybeat]] genre developed in what is now the county, which has also produced [[List of bands and artists from Merseyside|many artists and bands]], including [[the Beatles]]. The county contains several football clubs, with [[Everton F.C.|Everton]] and [[Liverpool F.C.|Liverpool]] playing in the [[Premier League]]. The [[Royal Liverpool Golf Club|Royal Liverpool]] and [[Royal Birkdale Golf Club|Royal Birkdale]] golf clubs have hosted [[The Open Championship]] 22 times between them, and the [[Grand National]] is the most valuable jump race in Europe. [[National Museums Liverpool]] comprises nine museums and art galleries.

==History==
{{stack|[[File:Seaforth Docks.jpg|thumb|[[Port of Liverpool]] docks, at [[Seaforth, Merseyside|Seaforth]]. Merseyside lies on the [[River Mersey|Mersey Estuary]]]]}}
Merseyside was designated as a "Special Review" area in the [[Local Government Act 1958]], and the [[Local Government Commission for England (1958 - 1966)|Local Government Commission for England]] started a review of this area in 1962, based around the core county boroughs of [[Liverpool]], [[Bootle]], [[Birkenhead]] and [[Wallasey]]. Further areas, including [[Widnes]] and [[Runcorn]], were added to the Special Review Area by Order in 1965. Draft proposals were published in 1965, but the commission never completed its final proposals as it was abolished in 1966.

Instead, a [[Royal Commission]] was set up to review English local government entirely, and its report (known as the [[Redcliffe-Maud Report]]) proposed a much wider Merseyside metropolitan area covering southwest Lancashire and northwest Cheshire, extending as far south as [[Chester]] and as far north as the [[River Ribble]]. This would have included four districts: [[Southport]]/[[Crosby, Merseyside|Crosby]], [[Liverpool]]/[[Bootle]], [[St Helens, Merseyside|St Helens]]/[[Widnes]] and [[Wirral Peninsula|Wirral]]/[[Chester]]. In 1970 the [[Merseyside Passenger Transport Executive]] (which operates today under the ''[[Merseytravel]]'' brand) was set up, covering Liverpool, Sefton, Wirral and Knowsley, but excluding Southport and St Helens.

The Redcliffe-Maud Report was rejected by the incoming [[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservative]] government, but the concept of a two-tier metropolitan area based on the Mersey area was retained. A [[White Paper]] was published in 1971. The [[Local Government Act 1972|Local Government Bill]] presented to Parliament involved a substantial trimming from the White Paper, excluding the northern and southern fringes of the area, excluding Chester, Ellesmere Port, and, for the first time, including Southport, whose council had requested to be included. Further alterations took place in Parliament, with [[Skelmersdale]] being removed from the area, and a proposed district including St Helens and [[Huyton]] being subdivided into what are now the metropolitan boroughs of [[Metropolitan Borough of St Helens|St Helens]] and [[Metropolitan Borough of Knowsley|Knowsley]].

Merseyside was created on 1 April 1974 from areas previously part of the [[administrative counties of England|administrative counties]] of [[Lancashire]] and [[Cheshire]], along with the county boroughs of Birkenhead, Wallasey, Liverpool, Bootle, and St Helens. Following the creation of Merseyside, Merseytravel expanded to take in St Helens and Southport.

{| class="wikitable" style="border:0px;text-align:left;line-height:150%;"
! colspan="2" | [[Local Government Act 1972|post-1974]]
! colspan="4" | [[Local Government Act 1888|pre-1974]]
|-
! Metropolitan county
! Metropolitan borough
! [[County borough]]s
! [[Municipal borough|Non-county borough]]s
! [[Urban district (England and Wales)|Urban districts]]
! [[Rural district]]s
|-
|rowspan=5| [[File:Merseyside County.png|300px]]<br />{{center|Merseyside is an amalgamation of 22 former local government districts, including six county boroughs and two municipal boroughs.}}
| [[Metropolitan Borough of Knowsley|Knowsley]]
| 
| 
| [[Huyton with Roby Urban District|Huyton with Roby]]&nbsp;• [[Kirkby Urban District|Kirkby]]&nbsp;• [[Prescot Urban District|Prescot]] 
| [[West Lancashire Rural District|West Lancashire]]&nbsp;• [[Whiston Rural District|Whiston]]
|-
| [[Liverpool]]
| Liverpool
| 
| 
| 
|-
| [[Metropolitan Borough of Sefton|Sefton]]
| [[County Borough of Bootle|Bootle]]&nbsp;• [[County Borough of Southport|Southport]]
| [[Municipal Borough of Crosby|Crosby]]
| [[Formby Urban District|Formby]]&nbsp;• [[Litherland Urban District|Litherland]]
| [[West Lancashire Rural District|West Lancashire]]
|-
| [[Metropolitan Borough of St Helens|St Helens]]
| [[County Borough of St Helens|St Helens]]
| 
| [[Newton-in-Makerfield Urban District|Newton-in-Makerfield]]&nbsp;• [[Billinge and Winstanley]]&nbsp;• [[Haydock Urban District|Haydock]]&nbsp;• [[Rainford Urban District|Rainford]]
| [[Whiston Rural District|Whiston]]
|-
| [[Metropolitan Borough of Wirral|Wirral]]
| [[County Borough of Birkenhead|Birkenhead]]&nbsp;• [[County Borough of Wallasey|Wallasey]]
| [[Municipal Borough of Bebington|Bebington]]
| [[Hoylake Urban District|Hoylake]]&nbsp;• [[Wirral Urban District|Wirral]]
| 
|}

Between 1974 and 1986 the county had a two-tier system of local government with the five boroughs sharing power with the [[Merseyside County Council]]. In 1986 the government of [[Margaret Thatcher]] abolished the county council along with all other metropolitan county councils, and so its boroughs are now effectively [[Unitary authorities of England|unitary authorities]].

==Geography==
[[File:Merseyside aerial photograph.jpg|thumb|right|An aerial photograph of Merseyside]]
{{See also|List of places in Merseyside|List of settlements in Merseyside by population|Liverpool Built-up Area}}
Merseyside is divided into two parts by the [[River Mersey|Mersey]] estuary; the Wirral is on the west side of the estuary, upon the [[Wirral Peninsula]], and the rest of the county lies on the east side. The eastern part of Merseyside borders onto [[Lancashire]] to the north and [[Greater Manchester]] to the east, with both parts of the county bordering [[Cheshire]] to the south. The territory comprising the county of Merseyside previously formed part of the [[administrative counties of England|administrative counties]] of Lancashire (east of the River Mersey) and Cheshire (west of the River Mersey). The two parts are linked by the two [[Mersey Tunnels]], the [[Wirral line]] of [[Merseyrail]], and the [[Mersey Ferry]].

===Green belt===
{{Further|North West Green Belt}}
Merseyside contains [[Green belt (United Kingdom)|green belt]] interspersed throughout the county, surrounding the Liverpool urban area, as well as across the Mersey in the Wirral area, with further pockets extending towards and surrounding Southport, as part of the western edge of the North West Green Belt. It was first drawn up from the 1950s. All the county's districts contain some portion of belt.

==Demography==
<!-- Self-maintaining population table -->
{{Merseyside population table}}

{| class="wikitable sortable"
|+ Ethnicity
! rowspan="2" |Ethnic Group
! colspan="2" |1981 estimations<ref name=":02">{{Cite book |url=http://archive.org/details/ethnicityin1991c0000unse |title=Ethnicity in the 1991 census: Vol 3 - Social geography and ethnicity in Britain, geographical spread, spatial concentration and internal migration |date=1996 |publisher=London : HMSO |others=Internet Archive |isbn=978-0-11-691655-6}}</ref>
! colspan="2" |1991 census<ref name=":02"/>
! colspan="2" |2001 census<ref>{{Cite web |title=KS006 -Ethnic Group 
|url=https://www.nomisweb.co.uk/query/construct/summary.asp?mode=construct&version=0&dataset=1606 | website=nomisweb.co.uk |language=en}}</ref>
! colspan="2" |2011 census<ref>{{Cite web |title=QS201EW - Ethnic group
|url=https://www.nomisweb.co.uk/query/construct/components/stdListComponent.asp?menuopt=12&subcomp=100|website=nomisweb.co.uk |language=en}}</ref>
! colspan="2" |2021 census<ref>{{Cite web |title=TS021 - Ethnic group
|url=https://www.nomisweb.co.uk/query/construct/summary.asp?mode=construct&version=0&dataset=2041 |website=nomisweb.co.uk |language=en}}</ref>
|-
!Number
!%
!Number
!%
!Number
!%
!Number
!%
!Number
!%
|-
|
|
|
|
|
|-
![[White people in the United Kingdom|White]]: Total
!1,500,267
!98.6%
!1,422,453
!98.1%
!1,322,938
!97.1%
!1,305,303
!94.5%
!1,304,797
!91.7%
|-
|White: [[White British|British]]
|–
|–
|–
|–
|1,297,777
|95.3%
|1,268,277
|91.8%
|1,242,323
|87.3%
|-
|White: [[White Irish|Irish]]
|–
|–
|–
|–
|13,005
|1.0%
|13,342
|1.0%
|13,508
|0.9%
|-
|White: [[White Gypsy or Irish Traveller|Gypsy or Irish Traveller]]<ref name="auto" group="note">New category created for the 2011 census</ref>
|–
|–
|–
|–
|–
|–
|457
|0.0%
|763
|0.1%
|-
|White: [[Romani people in the United Kingdom|Roma]]<ref group="note">New category created for the 2021 census</ref>
|–
|–
|–
|–
|–
|–
|–
|–
|1,696
|0.1%
|-
|White: [[Other White|Other]]
|–
|–
|–
|–
|12,156
|0.9%
|23,227
|1.7%
|46,507
|3.3%
|-
![[British Asian|Asian or Asian British]]: Total
!9,061
!0.6%
!11,624
!0.8%
!16,511
!1.2%
!30,405
!2.2%
!44,452
!3.1%
|-
|Asian or Asian British: [[British Indians|Indian]]
|2,248
|0.1%
|2,740
|0.2%
|3,769
|0.3%
|7,896
|0.6%
|10,686
|0.8%
|-
|Asian or Asian British: [[British Pakistanis|Pakistani]]
|716
|0.0%
|912
|0.1%
|1,528
|0.1%
|2,566
|0.2%
|4,723
|0.3%
|-
|Asian or Asian British: [[British Bangladeshis|Bangladeshi]]
|489
|0.0%
|764
|0.1%
|1,266
|0.1%
|2,366
|0.2%
|3,863
|0.3%
|-
|Asian or Asian British: [[British Chinese|Chinese]]<ref group="note">In 2001, listed under the 'Chinese or other ethnic group' heading.</ref>
|4,719
|0.3%
|5,895
|0.4%
|8,129
|0.6%
|11,554
|0.8%
|13,194
|0.9%
|-
|Asian or Asian British: Other Asian
|889
|0.1%
|1,313
|0.1%
|1,819
|0.1%
|6,023
|0.4%
|11,986
|0.8%
|-
![[Black British people|Black or Black British]]: Total
!8,344
!0.5%
!9,914
!0.7%
!6,838
!0.5%
!14,552
!1.1%
!21,902
!1.5%
|-
|Black or Black British: [[Black British people|African]]
|2,630
|0.2%
|3,093
|0.2%
|3,722
|0.3%
|9,792
|0.7%
|16,091
|1.1%
|-
|Black or Black British: [[British African-Caribbean people|Caribbean]]
|1,890
|0.1%
|2,208
|0.2%
|1,600
|0.1%
|2,066
|0.1%
|2,364
|0.2%
|-
|Black or Black British: [[Classification of ethnicity in the United Kingdom|Other Black]]
|3,824
|0.3%
|4,613
|0.3%
|1,516
|0.1%
|2,694
|0.2%
|3,447
|0.2%
|-
![[Mixed (United Kingdom ethnicity category)|Mixed]]: Total
!–
!–
!–
!–
!13,189
!1.0%
!20,954
!1.5%
!30,495
!2.1%
|-
|Mixed: White and Black Caribbean
|–
|–
|–
|–
|3,918
|0.3%
|6,395
|0.5%
|7,280
|0.5%
|-
|Mixed: White and Black African
|–
|–
|–
|–
|3,157
|0.2%
|4,894
|0.4%
|7,021
|0.5%
|-
|Mixed: White and Asian
|–
|–
|–
|–
|2,714
|0.2%
|4,638
|0.3%
|7,666
|0.5%
|-
|Mixed: Other Mixed
|–
|–
|–
|–
|3,400
|0.2%
|5,027
|0.4%
|8,528
|0.6%
|-
!Other: Total
!4,531
!0.3%
!5,713
!0.4%
!2,550
!0.2%
!9,975
!0.7%
!21,640
!1.5%
|-
|Other: Arab<ref name="auto" group="note" />
|–
|–
|–
|–
|–
|–
|6,379
|0.5%
|10,086
|0.7%
|-
|Other: Any other ethnic group
|–
|–
|–
|–
|2,550
|0.2%
|3,596
|0.3%
|11,554
|0.8%
|-
!Non-White: Total
!21,932
!1.4%
!27,247
!1.9%
!39,088
!2.9%
!75,886
!5.5%
!118,489
!8.3%
|-
!Total
!1,522,199
!100%
!1,449,700
!100%
!1,362,026
!100%
!1,381,189
!100%
!1,423,286
!100%
|}

==Identity==
[[Ipsos MORI]] polls in the boroughs of Sefton and Wirral in the 2000s showed that in general, residents of these boroughs identified slightly more strongly to Merseyside than to Lancashire or Cheshire respectively, but their affinity to Merseyside was more likely to be "fairly strong" than "very strong".<ref>[http://www.boundarycommittee.org.uk/templates/search/document.cfm/9335 Sefton poll] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060926213509/http://www.boundarycommittee.org.uk/templates/search/document.cfm/9335 |date=26 September 2006 }}, where 51% residents belonged strongly to Merseyside, and compared with 35% to Lancashire;  [http://www.boundarycommittee.org.uk/templates/search/document.cfm/9357 Wirral poll] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060926213628/http://www.boundarycommittee.org.uk/templates/search/document.cfm/9357 |date=26 September 2006 }}, where 45% of residents belonged strongly to Merseyside; compared with 30% to Cheshire.  In both boroughs, "very strongly" ratings for the historic county were larger than that for Merseyside, but "fairly strongly" was lower.</ref>

==Local government==
[[File:Arms of the Merseyside Metropolitan County Council.svg|thumb|right|Coat of arms of the former [[Merseyside County Council]]]]

===Metropolitan boroughs===
Merseyside comprises the [[metropolitan borough]]s of [[Liverpool]], [[Metropolitan Borough of Knowsley|Knowsley]], [[Metropolitan Borough of Sefton|Sefton]], [[Metropolitan Borough of St Helens|St Helens]] and [[Metropolitan Borough of Wirral|Wirral]].

===Combined authority===
{{Main article|Liverpool City Region Combined Authority}}
The [[Liverpool City Region Combined Authority]], which includes the five boroughs of Merseyside and the [[Borough of Halton]] in Cheshire, oversees functions given to it under the area's [[Cities and Local Government Devolution Act 2016|devolution deal]] with the UK government, such as transport, housing, innovation, employment, energy, tourism, and trade, and some responsibilities relating to crime and justice.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Wiggins |first=Kaye |date=2013-08-12 |title=Merseyside combined authority plans outlined |url=https://www.lgcplus.com/politics/governance-and-structure/merseyside-combined-authority-plans-outlined-12-08-2013/ |access-date=2024-04-19 |website=Local Government Chronicle |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Technical paper on Level 4 devolution framework |url=https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/technical-paper-on-level-4-devolution-framework/technical-paper-on-level-4-devolution-framework |access-date=2024-12-10 |website=GOV.UK |language=en}}</ref> 

The combined authority is led by the [[Mayor of the Liverpool City Region]], [[Steve Rotheram]], who was elected in [[2017 Liverpool City Region mayoral election|2017]] and re-elected in [[2021 Liverpool City Region mayoral election|2021]]<ref name=":1">{{cite news |date=18 May 2016 |title=Liverpool city region metro mayor: what is it, when will we get one and who will it be? |url=http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/liverpool-news/liverpool-city-region-metro-mayor-11348845 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160723160521/http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/liverpool-news/liverpool-city-region-metro-mayor-11348845 |archive-date=23 July 2016 |access-date=16 July 2016 |newspaper=Liverpool Echo}}</ref> and in [[2024 Liverpool City Region mayoral election|2024]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=4 May 2024 |title=Local election results 2024 live: London mayor and West Midlands race being counted |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/uk-politics-68609732 |access-date=2024-05-04 |website=BBC News |language=en-gb}}</ref>

===County-level functions===
Following the abolition of the county council, some local services are run by [[Local government in the United Kingdom#Joint-boards|joint-boards]] of the five metropolitan boroughs; these include the:

*[[Merseyside Police and Crime Commissioner]] and [[Merseyside Police]]
*[[Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service]]
*[[Merseyside Recycling and Waste Authority]]
*Merseyside Pension Scheme, administered by [[Wirral Council]], with offices in Liverpool{{Citation needed|date=January 2024}}

== Healthcare ==
{{Main|Healthcare in Merseyside}}
The planning and commissioning of care within Merseyside is the responsibility of an [[integrated care system]], NHS Cheshire and Merseyside, which covers [[National Health Service|NHS]] and other care services within the [[Cheshire]] and Merseyside areas. It also oversees Cheshire and Merseyside Health and Care Partnership. NHS Cheshire and Merseyside serves a combined population of 2.7 million {{As of|2024|lc=y}}.<ref>{{Cite web |title=NHS Cheshire and Merseyside |url=https://www.cheshireandmerseyside.nhs.uk/about/nhs-cheshire-and-merseyside/ |access-date=2024-12-11 |website= |language=en-gb}}</ref>
==Economy==
{{See also|Liverpool City Region#Economy|Liverpool#Economy|Metropolitan Borough of Wirral#Economy|Metropolitan Borough of Sefton#Economy}}

{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:right;"
|+ GVA and GDP by local authority district in 2021<ref name="ONS GVA and GDP">{{cite web |url=https://www.ons.gov.uk/economy/grossdomesticproductgdp/datasets/regionalgrossdomesticproductlocalauthorities |title=Regional gross domestic product: local authorities |last=Fenton |first=Trevor |date=25 April 2023 |website=Office for National Statistics |access-date=13 December 2023}}</ref>
|- style="text-align:left;"
! District
! GVA <br />(£ billions)
! GVA <br />per capita (£)
! GDP <br />(£ billions)
! GDP <br />per capita (£)
|-
| style="text-align:left;" | Knowsley
| £4.0
| £25,927
| £4.6
| £29,407
|-
| style="text-align:left;" | Liverpool
| £14.3
| £29,489
| £15.9
| £32,841
|-
| style="text-align:left;" | St Helens
| £2.8
| £15,448
| £3.4
| £18,803
|-
| style="text-align:left;" | Sefton
| £4.6
| £16,275
| £5.4
| £19,418
|-
| style="text-align:left;" | Wirral
| £5.6
| £17,527
| £6.6
| £20,688
|-
! style="text-align:left;" | Merseyside
! style="text-align:right;" | £31.3
! style="text-align:right;" | £22,000
! style="text-align:right;" | £36.0
! style="text-align:right;" | £25,281
|}

== Transport ==
{{See also|Transport in Liverpool|St Helens, Merseyside#Transport and infrastructure|Wirral Peninsula#Transport|Merseytravel|:Category:Transport in Merseyside}}

=== Road ===
[[File:Liverpool_City_Region_Motorways.png|thumb|Motorway network around Merseyside]]
Merseyside is served by six [[Controlled-access highway|motorways]]: the [[M58 motorway|M58]] to the north, [[M56 motorway|M56]] to the south, [[M6 motorway|M6]] & [[M62 motorway|M62]] to the east and [[M53 motorway|M53]] to the west. The [[M57 motorway|M57]] acts as an outer ring road and bypass for the city of Liverpool itself. The [[River Mersey]] is crossed by [[Queensway Tunnel]] and [[Kingsway Tunnel]], which link Liverpool to Birkenhead and Wallasey respectively, and by the [[Silver Jubilee Bridge]] and [[Mersey Gateway Bridge]], which link Runcorn and Widnes. The Mersey Gateway Bridge opened in 2017 and is designed to improve transport links between Widnes and Runcorn and other key locations in the vicinity.<ref>{{cite news |title=Halton Council: Runcorn & Widnes Communications |url=http://www.halton.gov.uk/property/comms_roads.asp |url-status=dead |access-date=10 May 2012 |archive-url=http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20111015125932/http%3A//www.halton.gov.uk/property/comms_roads.asp |archive-date=15 October 2011 |df=dmy-all}}</ref>

[[National Cycle Route 56]] and [[National Cycle Route 62]] pass through the region, the former along the Wirral and the latter from Southport to Runcorn.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Route 56 – Sustrans.org.uk |url=https://www.sustrans.org.uk/find-a-route-on-the-national-cycle-network/route-56 |access-date=20 June 2023 |website=Sustrans |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Route 62 |url=https://www.sustrans.org.uk/find-a-route-on-the-national-cycle-network/route-62/ |access-date=20 June 2023 |website=Sustrans |language=en}}</ref> Major bus companies are [[Stagecoach Merseyside]] and [[Arriva North West]]. [[Liverpool One bus station]] serves as a terminus for national coach travel.

=== Rail ===
[[File:Merseyrail_train.png|right|thumb|Typical Merseyrail train at Liverpool Central underground station]]
[[Liverpool Lime Street railway station|Liverpool Lime Street]] mainline station is Merseyside's primary intercity railway station, being used by 10.46 million passengers in 2021–22.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=Office of Rail and Road |date=24 November 2022 |title=Estimates of station usage: 1 April 2021 to 31 March 2022 |url=https://dataportal.orr.gov.uk/media/2150/station-usage-2021-22-statistical-release.pdf |access-date=20 June 2023 |website=dataportal.orr.gov.uk |page=4}}</ref> Train services are provided by [[Avanti West Coast]], [[London Northwestern Railway]], [[TransPennine Express]], [[West Midlands Trains]], [[Transport for Wales]] and [[Northern (train operating company)|Northern]], and serve destinations across the UK.<ref>{{cite news |title=railway-technology.com: Liverpool Lime Street Station, United Kingdom |url=http://www.railway-technology.com/projects/liverpoollimestreets |access-date=9 May 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=redspottedhanky.com: Stations Overview: Liverpool Lime Street |url=http://www.redspottedhanky.com/trains/stations/liverpool-lime-street-liv/ |access-date=9 May 2012}}</ref>

[[Merseyrail]] is the county's urban rail system and is operated by [[Merseytravel]], the combined [[passenger transport executive]] for the Liverpool City Region. The network has 66 stations on two lines; the Northern Line covers the centre of the county, and the Wirral Line covers the eponymous peninsula.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Stations |url=https://www.merseyrail.org/journey-planning/stations/ |access-date=20 June 2023 |website=www.merseyrail.org |language=en-GB}}</ref> The two lines meet in [[Liverpool City Centre]], and [[Liverpool Central railway station|Liverpool Central]] is the county's most-used station, with 10.75 million passengers in 2021–22.<ref>{{cite news |date=31 October 2011 |title=Transport Committee: Written evidence from Merseytravel (CTR 09) |url=https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201012/cmselect/cmtran/1609/1609vw10.htm |access-date=9 May 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=transportweb.com: Merseyrail Electrics |url=http://www.transportweb.com/directory/386/15561 |access-date=9 May 2012}}</ref><ref name=":0" /> The network extends to [[Ormskirk]] in Lancashire, and Ellesmere Port and Chester in Cheshire.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Network Map |url=https://www.merseyrail.org/journey-planning/plan-your-journey/network-map/ |access-date=20 June 2023 |website=www.merseyrail.org |language=en-GB}}</ref> Merseytravel brands the network in the east of the county as the '[[City Line (Merseytravel)|City Line]]', but the services on it are not operated by Merseyrail. The [[Borderlands line]] connects the west of the Wirral to [[Wales]], and is operated by [[Transport for Wales Rail]].

=== Maritime ===
{{multiple images
| header            = Maritime Transport in Merseyside
| image1            = Pier Head and Mersey Ferry Liverpool.jpg
| caption1          = [[Liverpool Cruise Terminal]], [[Pier Head]] and [[Mersey Ferry]] terminal
| image3            = Queen Mary 2 and Manannan, Liverpool landing stage, River Mersey (geograph 4556203).jpg
| caption3          = ''[[Queen Mary 2]]'' with [[Isle of Man Steam Packet Company]] ferry [[HSC Manannan|HSC ''Manannan'']] at Pier Head
| image2            = Benkid77 Mersey Ferry 120605.JPG
| caption2          = [[Mersey Ferry]] {{MV|Royal Iris of the Mersey}}
| image4            = Stena Lagan at Twelve Quays, Birkenhead (1).jpg
| caption4          = [[Twelve Quays]] Ferry Terminal, [[Birkenhead]] for [[Stena Line]] {{MS|Stena Lagan}} services to [[Belfast]], [[Northern Ireland]]
| image6            = Steam packet route map.svg
| caption6          = Routes operated by the [[Isle of Man Steam Packet Company]]
| perrow            = 2
| total_width       = 300px
}}

 {{Further|Category:Maritime transport in Merseyside}}
[[Liverpool Cruise Terminal]] provides facilities for long-distance passenger cruises. [[Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines]] {{MS|Black Watch|1971|6}} and [[Cruise & Maritime Voyages]] {{MS|Magellan}} use the terminal to depart to [[Iceland]], [[France]], [[Spain]] and [[Norway]]. [[The Peel Group|Peel Ports]] have also planned a second cruise terminal as part of the [[Liverpool Waters]] project.<ref>{{cite news |date=2 March 2012 |title=BBC Liverpool: Liverpool cruise liner terminal opening set for May |work=BBC News |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-merseyside-17232567 |access-date=9 May 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |date=30 January 2012 |title=Liverpool Confidential: Second Mersey cruise terminal planned |url=http://www.liverpoolconfidential.co.uk/News-and-Comment/Second-Mersey-cruise-terminal-planned-Liverpool |url-status=dead |access-date=9 May 2012 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120912155859/http://www.liverpoolconfidential.co.uk/News-and-Comment/Second-Mersey-cruise-terminal-planned-Liverpool |archive-date=12 September 2012 }}</ref>

==== Ferries ====
[[File:Seacombe Ferry Terminal Entrance (geograph 5384500).jpg|thumb|Seacombe Ferry Terminal]]
Prince's Landing Stage on Liverpool's [[Pier Head]] serves [[Isle of Man Steam Packet Company]] summer service to the [[Isle of Man]] (and Mersey Ferries). The [[Twelve Quays]] ferry port in Birkenhead serves winter Isle of Man ferry service and [[Stena Line]] services to [[Belfast]], [[Northern Ireland]]. Almost three quarters of a million people{{citation needed|date=February 2023}} travel these [[Irish Sea]] ferry services.<ref>{{cite news |title=Direct Ferries Ltd: How To Get To Liverpool Ferry Port |url=http://www.directferries.co.uk/liverpool.htm |access-date=9 May 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |date=February 2011 |title=parliament.uk: Written evidence from Blundellsands Sailing Club (MCA 53) |url=https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201012/cmselect/cmtran/948/948vw42.htm |access-date=9 May 2012}}</ref>

The [[Mersey Ferry]] has operated since the 1200s, currently between [[Wirral Peninsula|Wirral]] and [[Liverpool City Centre]] at Seacombe, Woodside and Liverpool Pier Head. In 2009–2010 it had 684,000{{nbsp}}passengers using the service.<ref>{{cite news |date=2009–2010 |title=Merseytravel: Annual Statistical Monitor 2009/10 |url=http://www.letstravelwise.org/files/1965510687_MON10pdf.pdf |url-status=dead |access-date=9 May 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140419014128/http://www.letstravelwise.org/files/1965510687_MON10pdf.pdf |archive-date=19 April 2014 }}</ref>

==== Commercial ====
The [[Port of Liverpool]] handles most commercial shipping, but the Birkenhead Docks complex in [[Great Float]] on the [[Wirral peninsula]] still handles some freight.

The Port of Liverpool is a [[container port]] that handles over 33{{nbsp}}million{{nbsp}}tonnes of [[Cargo|freight cargo]] per year, making it the fourth busiest port in the United Kingdom {{as of|2022|lc=on}}.<ref name="port01">{{cite web|url=https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/port-and-domestic-waterborne-freight-statistics-port |title=Statistical data set PORT01 – UK ports and traffic|publisher=Department for Transport | access-date = 27 July 2024}}</ref>
It serves more than 100 global destinations including Africa, Australia, China, India, the [[Middle East]] and [[South America]]. Imports include [[Cereal|grain]] and [[animal feed]], [[Lumber|timber]], steel, coal, cocoa, crude oil, edible oils and liquid chemicals; there are exports of [[Scrap|scrap metal]] for recycling.<ref>{{cite news |year=2010 |title=Peel Ports: Port of Liverpool |url=http://www.peelports.co.uk/port-of-liverpool |url-status=dead |access-date=9 May 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120413101031/http://www.peelports.co.uk/port-of-liverpool/ |archive-date=13 April 2012 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |year=2010 |title=Port of Liverpool Introduction |url=http://www.shipcanal.co.uk/port-of-liverpool |access-date=9 May 2012}}</ref>  A second container terminal, [[Liverpool2]] at [[Seaforth Dock|Seaforth]], can handle [[Panamax|Post-Panamax]] vessels and doubled the port's capacity when it opened in 2016.<ref>{{cite news |date=6 March 2012 |title=Liverpool Port Terminal Work to Begin Next Year |url=http://www.joc.com/portsterminals/liverpool-port-terminal-work-begin-next-year |access-date=9 May 2012}}</ref>

=== Air ===
[[Liverpool John Lennon Airport]] is the county's international airport. It is in [[Speke]], {{convert|6.5|mi}} southeast of Liverpool city centre, with 5 million departures in 2020.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Arrivals and departures at Liverpool John Lennon Airport 2020 |url=https://www.statista.com/statistics/467477/passengers-arrivals-and-departures-at-liverpool-john-lennon-airport-uk/ |access-date=20 June 2023 |website=Statista |language=en}}</ref> Flights are primarily operated by [[easyJet]] and [[Ryanair]], and over 70 destinations are served by the airport, including regular flights to the [[Near East]] and [[North Africa]].<ref>{{cite news |date=29 June 2011 |title=Liverpool John Lennon airport provides key tourism gateway |url=http://www.liverpooldailypost.co.uk/ldpbusiness/2011/06/29/liverpool-john-lennon-airport-provides-key-tourism-gateway-99623-28966834 |access-date=10 May 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Ryanair's New Routes from JLA Take Off In Style |url=http://www.liverpoolairport.com/press-office/ryanair-s-new-routes-from-jla-take-off-in-style.html |url-status=dead |access-date=10 May 2012 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120904142035/http://www.liverpoolairport.com/press-office/ryanair-s-new-routes-from-jla-take-off-in-style.html |archive-date=4 September 2012 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Liverpool John Lennon Airport Destination Map |url=http://www.liverpoolairport.com/flight-information/destination-map.html |access-date=10 May 2012}}</ref>

The airport is planning substantial expansion, and is forecast to handle more than 12{{nbsp}}million passengers by 2030, as well as targeting permanent direct long haul flights and significantly larger terminal facilities.<ref>{{cite news |title=Liverpool John Lennon Airport Master Plan |url=http://www.liverpoolairport.com/about-us/master-plan.html |access-date=10 May 2012}}</ref>

==Sport==
{{Further|Category:Sport in Merseyside}}
Merseyside is host to several football league football clubs including [[Everton F.C.|Everton]], [[Liverpool F.C.|Liverpool]] and [[Tranmere Rovers F.C.|Tranmere Rovers]] and several non-league football clubs including [[Marine A.F.C.]] and [[Southport F.C.]] Golf courses include [[Royal Liverpool Golf Club]], [[Royal Birkdale Golf Club]], [[Hillside Golf Club]] and [[Southport and Ainsdale Golf Club]]. Cricket clubs include the historic [[Aigburth Cricket Ground]]. [[Aintree Motor Racing Circuit]] hosted the [[British Grand Prix]] biennially between 1955 and 1961, and finally in 1962.<ref>{{Cite web |date=10 March 2024 |title=Aintree Circuit :: Liverpool Motor Club |url=https://www.liverpoolmotorclub.com/about/aintree-circuit-map/ |access-date=25 March 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240310092342/https://www.liverpoolmotorclub.com/about/aintree-circuit-map/ |archive-date=10 March 2024 }}</ref> [[Aintree Racecourse]] hosts the [[Grand National]] and there is also [[Haydock Park Racecourse]]. [[Totally Wicked Stadium]] hosts Rugby League and [[Hoylake]] hosts sailing (such as the [[Southport 24 Hour Race]]) and is Britain's premier location for sand yachting. A ski slope facility is found at [[The Oval (Wirral)]].

==Places of interest==
[[File:Croxteth Hall.jpg|thumb|[[Croxteth Hall]]]] [[File:Knowsley Hall, Merseyside-6116277943.jpg|thumb|Knowsley Hall]]

===Liverpool===
{{div col}}
*[[Royal Albert Dock, Liverpool|Albert Dock]]
*[[Anfield]] ([[Liverpool F.C.]] Stadium)
*[[The Beatles Story]] Museum Liverpool at [[Royal Albert Dock, Liverpool|Albert Dock]]
*[[The Cavern Club]]
*[[Chinatown, Liverpool]]
*[[Church of St Luke, Liverpool]]
*[[Croxteth Hall]]
*[[Everton Stadium]]
*[[Gambier Terrace]]
*[[Goodison Park]] ([[Everton F.C.]] Stadium)
*[[HM Customs & Excise National Museum]]
*[[International Slavery Museum]]
*[[Liverpool Cathedral]] ([[Anglican]])
*[[Liverpool Empire Theatre]]
*[[Liverpool John Lennon Airport]]
*[[Liverpool Town Hall]]
*[[Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral]] ([[Roman Catholic]])
*[[Merseyside Maritime Museum]]
*[[Mersey Tunnels]] – [[Queensway Tunnel|Queensway]] and [[Kingsway Tunnel|Kingsway]]
*[[Museum of Liverpool]]
*[[Pier Head]]
*[[Philharmonic Dining Rooms]]
*[[Philharmonic Hall, Liverpool]]
*[[Royal Liver Building]]
*[[Sefton Park]]
*[[Speke Hall]] – [[National Trust for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty|National Trust]]
*[[St George's Hall, Liverpool|St George's Hall]]
*[[Tate Liverpool]], a branch of the [[Tate Gallery]]
*[[Walker Art Gallery]]
*[[Western Approaches Museum]]
*[[World Museum Liverpool]]
{{div col end}}

===Knowsley===
{{div col}}
*[[Knowsley Hall]]
*[[Knowsley Safari Park]]
{{div col end}}

===St Helens===
{{div col}}
*[[Dream (sculpture)|The Dream]]
*[[Haydock Park Racecourse]]
*[[Totally Wicked Stadium]] ([[St Helens R.F.C.|St Helens]] Stadium) 
*[[North West Museum of Road Transport]]
*[[World of Glass (St Helens)|World of Glass]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.worldofglass.com|title=Art Galleries – Museum – Glass Blowing- Victorian Furnace|work=The World of Glass|access-date=28 November 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151208095056/http://www.worldofglass.com/|archive-date=8 December 2015|url-status=live}}</ref>
{{div col end}}

===Sefton===
{{div col}}
*[[Aintree Racecourse]] – Home of the [[Grand National]]
*[[Atkinson Art Gallery and Library]] and [[Southport Arts Centre]]
*[[Bootle Town Hall]] – [[Captain]] [[Frederic John Walker]] exhibits
*[[British Lawnmower Museum]], [[Southport]]
*[[Crosby Beach]] – [[Another Place (sculpture)]] by [[Antony Gormley]]
*[[Formby]]
*[[Haig Avenue]] – [[Southport F.C.]]
*[[Hesketh Park, Southport]]
*[[Hugh Baird College]]
*[[Lord Street, Southport]]
*[[Maghull]] – Home of [[Frank Hornby]]
*[[Marine A.F.C.]], [[Crosby, Merseyside|Crosby]]
*[[Marshside RSPB reserve]]
*[[Meols Hall]]
*[[Pleasureland Southport]]
*[[RAF Woodvale]]
*[[Rimrose Valley]] [[Country Park]]
*[[Royal Birkdale Golf Club]]
*[[Seaforth Dock]]
*[[Sefton Coast]] – [[SSSI]]
*[[Southport Botanic Gardens]]
*[[Southport Flower Show]]
*[[Southport Pier]]
*[[St Helen's Church, Sefton]] – Grade I [[Listed Building]]
{{div col end}}

===Wirral===
{{div col}}
*[[Bidston Hill]] and [[Bidston Windmill]]
*[[Birkenhead Park]]
*[[Birkenhead Priory]]
*[[Fort Perch Rock]]
*[[Hamilton Square]]
*[[Hilbre Island]]
*[[Lady Lever Art Gallery]]
*[[Leasowe#Leasowe Castle|Leasowe Castle]] and [[Leasowe#Leasowe Lighthouse|Leasowe Lighthouse]]
*[[North Wirral Coastal Park]]
*[[Port Sunlight]]
*[[Prenton Park]] ([[Tranmere Rovers F.C.]] Stadium) 
*[[Royal Liverpool Golf Club]]
*[[Williamson Art Gallery and Museum]]
*[[Wirral Country Park]]
{{div col end}}

==Notable people==
:''See [[:Category:People from Merseyside]]''
{{Main|List of people from Merseyside|List of bands and artists from Merseyside}}

==See also==
{{Portal|North West England}}
*[[1911 Liverpool general transport strike]]
*[[High Sheriff of Merseyside|List of High Sheriffs of Merseyside]]
*[[List of commemorative plaques in Merseyside]]
*[[List of drill halls in Merseyside]]
*[[List of Sites of Special Scientific Interest in Merseyside]]
*[[Lord Lieutenant of Merseyside|List of Lord Lieutenants of Merseyside]]
*[[Mersey Barrage]]
*[[Merseyside derby]]
*[[Scheduled monuments in Merseyside]]

==Notes==
{{Reflist|group=note}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==Further reading==
*{{cite book|title=The Flora of Liverpool|first=Joseph|last=Dickinson|publisher=Deighton and Laughton|location=Liverpool|year=1851|url=https://archive.org/stream/floraliverpool00dickgoog#page/n4/mode/2up}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|Merseyside}}
{{Wikivoyage|Merseyside}}
* [http://www.merseytravel.gov.uk/ Merseytravel website]
* [http://www.merseyside.com/ Merseyside.com local guide, A-Z, street index]
* [http://www.merseysidetoday.co.uk/ Merseyside Today – regional guide]
* [http://www.merseyreporter.com/history/ Mersey Reporter History – Merseyside History]
* [http://www.imerseyside.co.uk/ Merseyside Businesses online] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091208093249/http://www.imerseyside.co.uk/ |date=8 December 2009 }}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20140209024032/http://www.merseylife.com/ Mersey Life – Community]

{{Merseyside}}
{{England_counties}}
{{NW_England}}
{{Metropolitan counties}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Merseyside| ]]
[[Category:Metropolitan counties]]
[[Category:North West England]]
[[Category:NUTS 2 statistical regions of the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:Counties of England established in 1974]]