Merseyside

Merseyside is a metropolitan county, created in the 1974 local government reform. It is in the north of England, on the River Mersey, composed of the metropolitan boroughs of Liverpool, Knowsley, Sefton, St Helens and Wirral.

The county was initially administered by the Merseyside County Council but this was abolished in 1986, and so its boroughs are now effectively unitary authorities.

Despite the abolition of the county council some local services are still run on a county-wide basis, now administered by joint-boards of the five metropolitan boroughs, these include the:

• Merseyside Police Authority
• Merseyside Fire & Rescue Service
• Merseyside Passenger Transport Executive (who are responsible for public transport including Merseyrail)

Merseyside still exists legally, and as a ceremonial county. It borders onto Lancashire, Greater Manchester and Cheshire.

Other districts that are part of the urban area (but not part of Merseyside) are Ellesmere Port and Neston and Halton.

Uniquely among English counties, it is traditional to express location within the Merseyside area by the pronoun on, thus "on Merseyside" as opposed to "in Merseyside" (after all, one would be "on the side of the Mersey" not "in" it). However, both expressions are common in modern usage.

Towns and villages

See the list of places in Merseyside.

Places of interest

• Gambier Terrace
• Albert Dock
• Cavern Club
• Croxteth Hall
• Speke Hall – National Trust
• Mersey Tunnels – Queensway and Kingsway
• Tate Liverpool, a branch of the Tate Gallery
• Lady Lever Art Gallery
• Liverpool Museum
• Merseyside Maritime Museum
• HM Customs & Excise National Museum
• Museum of Liverpool Life
• Walker Art Gallery
• Liverpool Cathedral
• Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral of Christ the King
• Port Sunlight
• Leasowe Castle
• Bidston Windmill
• Leasowe Lighthouse
• Hilbre Island
• North Wirral Coastal Park
• St Helens' World of Glass