Saturday 22nd May from 11am until 3pm will see a design drop in meeting, in connection with the liveable neighbourhood scheme on the corner of st Paul’s square and Duke street .


The scheme is a council programme that is designed to make local neighbourhoods more family orientated by reducing traffic by closing access to vehicles. Similar schemes can be found in Ormskirk where timber blockades have been used to stop access to streets.

Birkdale’s Lee Durkin is urging people to get involved with their feedback after several businesses formed against the scheme due to it’s potential negative impact.

Mr Durkin said “ Last year I asked people to come forward with their feelings towards this scheme which is aiming to make the neighbourhood better, I highlighted this scheme is potentially going to block traffic from local roads and funnel it into main road locations, this will cause huge tail backs of traffic which would in fact see more harm than good done to the environment due to standing traffic .

The scheme is trying to make the through roads used less by vehicles, but the fact Southport is a network of side streets with businesses on them, we in fact need that traffic in order to help businesses to flourish, the routes highlights by Sustrans would also limit access to the town centre which again is something many of us are dedicating time and effort towards yet we have Sefton council going in the opposite direction.

Mr Durkin went on to say “I have said before that unless the Sustrans team running this research go door to door and ask one simple question then this scheme will be like many others that the council have introduced into Southport and cause nothing but problems for the local residents and businesses.


The question should be, Do you want change on your road? The current way in which this scheme is asking questions is loaded towards their scheme being introduced and is not a fair representation of people’s views , the scheme has not been delivered to people’s homes but instead zip tied to lamp posts around the area and many have simple slid down to the floor if this is how our council feels data for schemes should be complied then I am shocked .


If people do not take the time to give constructive feedback we will see our town suffer even more at the grips of an out of touch Sefton Council.”

If you would like to contact Sustrans to find out more information you can on SustransNorth@sustrans-info.org.uk

Is this 'design drop in' session being held by an official body like Sefton Council and/or Sustrans....Or by Mr Durkin, who appears intent on stirring up opposition to the Liveable Neighbourhoods scheme?

"Don't be dictated to" says the man who has never been elected.

Originally Posted by salus.populi

"Don't be dictated to" says the man who has never been elected.

Birkdale’s Lee Durkin will be bidding to become the Conservative candidate for Birkdale ward in 2022

(…except, the election of 8^th May was the postponed 2020 election. Will 2020 count as the 1 year in 4 when no Sefton Councillors stand for re-election?)

____________________________________________________________________________________



Time to hit the streets, boys. — Lewis Whyld /PA

The logical extension of 'pavement politics ' refined by the Liberal Democratic party, wherein Councillors are in perpetual campaign mode and sufficiently successful that the other parties feel obliged to follow suit. So, expect to see Mr. Durkin Press Releasing (to the inbox of roving-eye /Q Local Southport news) at regular intervals from now on.

Nowadays in local government, we have actual Councillors pandering to local gripes and wannabe Councillors hoping to out-do them. Of sixty-six Sefton Councillors, a handful get Cabinet responsibilities (basically keeping an eye on Council Officers) while the rest pass themselves off as intermediaries between residents and Officers. It's a farce.

Originally Posted by salus.populi

"Don't be dictated to" says the man who has never been elected.

But somebody sent him out to do it!

Originally Posted by The PNP

Is this 'design drop in' session being held by an official body like Sefton Council and/or Sustrans....Or by Mr Durkin, who appears intent on stirring up opposition to the Liveable Neighbourhoods scheme?

It, and others to follow, are organised by Sustrans. What the intent is is unclear but the online video sessions have certainly been populated by anxious business owners, principally in Shakespeare Street, and residents around St Peter’s Road who are concerned with traffic speeds and congestion.

I get the distinct impression that the exercise is about being able to claim that road closures/calming are needed and wanted and that any other input is superfluous

Several years ago it needed some fairly intense local input to prevent Portland Street from being “decommissioned” as a through traffic route and turned into a “safe street”. I think the planners recognise what happened and this time are looking for a fait accompli

Originally Posted by Kritou

Several years ago it needed some fairly intense local input to prevent Portland Street from being “decommissioned” as a through traffic route and turned into a “safe street”. I think the planners recognise what happened and this time are looking for a fait accompli

The Portland Street scheme was reasonably successful, in that we were able to achieve its designation as East-West cycle route from Seafront to Newlands, inc:

1) The 20mph limit.
2) Road humps.
3) Traffic-lights across Cemetery Rd.
4) Kerbing removed across Lord St.
5) Netpaving path across Portland playing field.

But lost out on:
1) The tree-planting.
2) The two modal filters.

Originally Posted by The PNP

The Portland Street scheme was reasonably successful, in that we were able to achieve its designation as East-West cycle route from Seafront to Newlands, inc:

1) The 20mph limit.
2) Road humps.
3) Traffic-lights across Cemetery Rd.
4) Kerbing removed across Lord St.
5) Netpaving path across Portland playing field.

But lost out on:
1) The tree-planting.
2) The two modal filters.

Here we f*****g go,give it a bloody rest will you,and shut the eff up pleeeeeeease

Lee Durkin has been born and bred in Southport and is as aware of local needs as all local people are. It would appear that Sustrans has not thought this proposal through much, unless they are working to a different agenda.

It is local people who have private enterprises on the streets concerned and it is these people who attract more shoppers due to their diversity, people need more than just supermarkets. These individual retail services are essential. The money they raise is dispersed locally, there should be a great effort made to create more such outlets - not force them to close down.

It is not wise to close off alternative routes into town, for by doing so - not only are these businesses badly affected, the traffic will be merely pushed further over, creating greater congestion problems elsewhere. Road closures and priority cycle lanes indicate that the move is to create a traffic free town - which would really be a silly move. One cannot carry a full load of shopping on a bike?? This would lead to fewer goods being purchased at the supermarkets, resulting in these also being closed down.

No supermarkets in town would lead to far fewer tourists and visitors, leading to Southport losing it's resort status and becoming a total ghost town. Is this what our Bootle led council is proposing? Perhaps the ultimate plan is to encourage more motorists to shop and visit further South of Southport? Handing over one of the most iconic buildings in Southport over to the Hotel chain that has a very poor reputation was another nail in the coffin for the town. The indications are that the Council are not serving the local area as they are meant to be doing, and for which they are paid to do. Mr. Durkin is quite right - people do have to make their voice heard, Southport can be a thriving town under intelligent direction.

Originally Posted by said

Lee Durkin has been born and bred in Southport and is as aware of local needs as all local people are. It would appear that Sustrans has not thought this proposal through much, unless they are working to a different agenda.

It is local people who have private enterprises on the streets concerned and it is these people who attract more shoppers due to their diversity, people need more than just supermarkets. These individual retail services are essential. The money they raise is dispersed locally, there should be a great effort made to create more such outlets - not force them to close down.

It is not wise to close off alternative routes into town, for by doing so - not only are these businesses badly affected, the traffic will be merely pushed further over, creating greater congestion problems elsewhere. Road closures and priority cycle lanes indicate that the move is to create a traffic free town - which would really be a silly move. One cannot carry a full load of shopping on a bike?? This would lead to fewer goods being purchased at the supermarkets, resulting in these also being closed down.

No supermarkets in town would lead to far fewer tourists and visitors, leading to Southport losing it's resort status and becoming a total ghost town. Is this what our Bootle led council is proposing? Perhaps the ultimate plan is to encourage more motorists to shop and visit further South of Southport? Handing over one of the most iconic buildings in Southport over to the Hotel chain that has a very poor reputation was another nail in the coffin for the town. The indications are that the Council are not serving the local area as they are meant to be doing, and for which they are paid to do. Mr. Durkin is quite right - people do have to make their voice heard, Southport can be a thriving town under intelligent direction.

Good job you've not run for council as there's no chance it would be intelligent direction!

The Council has nothing to do with the sale of the Royal Clifton, so why you bring that up is beyond me.

As for supermarkets, I doubt tourists come to Southport for their weekly shop, so your point there is evidence of your usual ill thought nonsense. (Morrisons has ample parking so gets used quite regularly, Sainsbury's is too small to be considered as a supermarket and can't compete with what the customers want).

Southport needs to evolve as a town rather than living in the past. The shops are struggling because of things like internet shopping, not because of a lack of parking.

Originally Posted by said

Lee Durkin has been born and bred in Southport and is as aware of local needs as all local people are.

That's not necessarily an indicator of talking sense. Some local people are often the most ignorant people I've ever come across

It is not wise to close off alternative routes into town, for by doing so - not only are these businesses badly affected, the traffic will be merely pushed further over, creating greater congestion problems elsewhere. Road closures and priority cycle lanes indicate that the move is to create a traffic free town - which would really be a silly move. One cannot carry a full load of shopping on a bike?? This would lead to fewer goods being purchased at the supermarkets, resulting in these also being closed down.

There are no proposals to close any routes into the town centre.

Handing over one of the most iconic buildings in Southport over to the Hotel chain that has a very poor reputation was another nail in the coffin for the town. The indications are that the Council are not serving the local area as they are meant to be doing, and for which they are paid to do. .

The council haven't handed a hotel over to anyone. It was sold by one hotel chain to another. Nothing to do with the council. See my first point about the ignorance of some local people.

Originally Posted by salus.populi

There are no proposals to close any routes into the town centre.

Correct....This rumour is simply a scaremongering tactic from Mr Durkins side, to get peoples backs up against the proposed scheme.