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Published on: 29/06/2021 02:54 PMReported by: roving-eye
Southport MP Damien Moore has announced an extension to the deadline for residents and businesses to submit their views on plans to extend the cycle lane scheme through Southport.
People will now have until 25 July to give their views on the proposals, after Mr Moore urged the local authority for more time to be allowed for responses. The consultation was due to close on 27 June.
The council’s plans include a number of new cycle lanes, wider pavements, and crossings. It would also include the further closure of several roads to traffic.
Last year Labour-led Sefton Council imposed measures in Southport’s town centre on a ‘Test and See’ basis – without consultation – which included closing Queens Road to traffic, removing pay and display bays on Hoghton Street and replacing them with cycle lanes, and overturning the ban on cycling on Chapel Street, Wesley Street and Tulketh Street.
Sefton Council has now put forward further proposals in Southport which would link the existing town centre route through Birkdale to the Ainsdale roundabout to the south, and past Hesketh Park, through Churchtown to the Plough Roundabout in the other direction.
A number of concerns have been raised by residents, with online petitions against the scheme gaining over 3,000 signatures, and a local opposition group being created with 600 members. It is believed that the plans would impact the value of homes, lead to increased congestion, result in the loss of thousands of pounds in revenue for the council, and reduce the footfall for local businesses.
Southport MP Damien Moore said: “These proposals to extend cycle lanes through Southport will have a huge impact on people who live in our town, as well as on local businesses.
“I have raised this matter with the Transport Minister, who has confirmed to me that Sefton Council was under no obligation to apply for funding through the Emergency Active Travel Fund – which was designed for towns which had a real need for an expansion in infrastructure for cycling.
“My office has been inundated with concerns regarding the consultation, highlighting the fact that the council had only targeted certain households with information flyers, rather than providing all those impacted with information on the plans.
“Many residents on the roads where the lanes are set to be added still don’t know of the plans, which is why I wrote to the council to ask that more time be given to collect feedback. The council responded to confirm that the deadline would be pushed-back to late July, and that they would review their communications strategy with a view to engaging with all those affected.
“Very serious concerns have been raised with me regarding many aspects of the proposals – concerns I share. One business I met with has estimated a loss of around 20% in footfall among their elderly customers due to the removal of parking bays.”
The Southport MP is inviting people to respond to the consultation within the new deadline to share their views.
He added: “The new cycle lanes in our town centre have been disastrous. Removing the pay and display bays along Hoghton Street not only costs the council £137,000 in lost revenue every year, but also costs businesses due to the resulting reduction in customer numbers.
“Southport is a tourist town which heavily relies on visitors to support our local economy. Our town attracted over nine million visitors in 2019, and through the very exciting proposals we are developing through the Southport Town Deal we plan to attract many more.
“It is madness therefore to consider plans which would make it much more difficult for families wanting to drive into Southport, especially as local businesses need all the customers they can get as we seek to rebuild from the devastation of the pandemic.
“We all know how busy the arterial roads into and out of Southport can get on a hot summer day – adding a major expansion in cycle lanes is a recipe for disaster. “I am resolutely against these cycle lane proposals. They will seriously undermine the good work we are doing in Southport, and shows a serious lack of joined-up thinking by Sefton Council.
“I would encourage people to submit their views via the consultation.”
A number of concerns have been raised by residents, with online petitions against the scheme gaining over 3,000 signatures, and a local opposition group being created with 600 members. It is believed that the plans would impact the value of homes, lead to increased congestion, result in the loss of thousands of pounds in revenue for the council, and reduce the footfall for local businesses.
And do you really think that Bootle Councillors give a rats a*se for any of the above? It doesn’t matter how long the consultation process gets extended by, they have made up their minds, this ridiculous plan is coming, no ifs, no buts.
Last edited by justbecause; 29/06/2021 at 09:17 PM.
Southport MP Damien Moore has announced an extension to the deadline for residents and businesses to submit their views on plans to extend the cycle lane scheme
HAHA extension so most people are all for it mr moore Do you think what you are doing is a vote winner? nothing will stop the green cycling revolution'
Good! The sooner the better if it stops you from whinging and whining. Get over it.
If the best you can do is post personal insults, because of your obvious lack of intelligence and inability to say anything sensible and constructive to the subject matter, perhaps you should just keep quiet.
“It is madness therefore to consider plans which would make it much more difficult for families wanting to drive into Southport
Complete scaremongering nonsense.....All three main A-routes into Southport will still be available for visitors to use.
N.B. If less than three percent (just 3,000 out of a population of 125,000) can be bothered to sign petitions against, the vast majority who live in the area obviously aren't concerned by the proposal - bring it on!
[QUOTE=The PNP;6776771]Complete scaremongering nonsense.....All three main A-routes into Southport will still be available for visitors to use.
N.B. If less than three percent (just 3,000 out of a population of 125,000) can be bothered to sign petitions against, the vast majority who live in the area obviously aren't concerned by the proposal - bring it on![/QUOTE
125000, where have you dreamed that bit of fiction from?
Complete scaremongering nonsense.....All three main A-routes into Southport will still be available for visitors to use.
N.B. If less than three percent (just 3,000 out of a population of 125,000) can be bothered to sign petitions against, the vast majority who live in the area obviously aren't concerned by the proposal - bring it on![/QUOTE
125000, where have you dreamed that bit of fiction from?
It's about right for Southport/Formby/Banks, probably more if you were to include W.Lancs. Remember, the consultation is open to people who travel into town, not just its residents.
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Alikado says:30/06/2021 04:52 PM
The Council has issued a statement on another site refuting his claim and stating that it is one of a number of erroneous and misleading claims issued over cycle lanes.
The Council has issued a statement on another site refuting his claim and stating that it is one of a number of erroneous and misleading claims issued over cycle lanes.
More Tory lies.
‘ Cllr John Fairclough, Sefton Council’s Cabinet Member for Locality Services, said: “Southport’s MP has not secured an extension and this is the latest in a series of misleading communications issued over the Southport Walking & Cycling Route consultation.”
‘ Cllr John Fairclough, Sefton Council’s Cabinet Member for Locality Services, said: “Southport’s MP has not secured an extension and this is the latest in a series of misleading communications issued over the Southport Walking & Cycling Route consultation
This from the bloke who left the whole of Southport ungritted in December 2010 - when people had to take to the streets with shovels and pedestrians were pushing cars up Eastbank Street.
John Fairclough is an utter liabiity, and quite how he still holds a public office is beyond me. The man doesn't give a rat's backside about Southport, it's residents or it's business owners - and never has done.
If thy get rid of the little island in the middle of the road on Preston new road, I can only see that as a positive. False safety leading buses, lorries into the cycle route as it is.
Clear the road, put PROPER crossings in and a cycle lane, everyone wins.
While they are at it, Put a bloody big yellow box in the lights at Churchtown and cameras to catch light jumpers. That will improve traffic flow no end. Some times you hardly get any traffic flow due to light jumpers at that junction.
This from the bloke who left the whole of Southport ungritted in December 2010 - when people had to take to the streets with shovels and pedestrians were pushing cars up Eastbank Street.
John Fairclough is an utter liabiity, and quite how he still holds a public office is beyond me. The man doesn't give a rat's backside about Southport, it's residents or it's business owners - and never has done.
He keeps his constituents sweet in Bootle by pandering to their wants, and ignoring ours. And no I haven’t forgotten how he treated this town in 2010.
If thy get rid of the little island in the middle of the road on Preston new road, I can only see that as a positive. False safety leading buses, lorries into the cycle route as it is.
Clear the road, put PROPER crossings in and a cycle lane, everyone wins.
While they are at it, Put a bloody big yellow box in the lights at Churchtown and cameras to catch light jumpers. That will improve traffic flow no end. Some times you hardly get any traffic flow due to light jumpers at that junction.
Ref Churchtown lights, most of the traffic in the centre of the junction are waiting for a break in oncoming traffic usually to turn right, a yellow box junction would stop right turning traffic from PNR and Cambridge Rd, it’s rare indeed when right turning traffic can move through the junction without stopping in the junction.
The only answer there would be staggered lights as they are from Marshside Rd.
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gsgsgs says:06/07/2021 08:02 AM
Originally Posted by silver fox
Ref Churchtown lights, most of the traffic in the centre of the junction are waiting for a break in oncoming traffic usually to turn right, a yellow box junction would stop right turning traffic from PNR and Cambridge Rd, it’s rare indeed when right turning traffic can move through the junction without stopping in the junction.
The only answer there would be staggered lights as they are from Marshside Rd.
You can enter a yellow box junction when you are waiting to turn right so long as your exit road is clear, you can also enter the junction if there is already a car waiting to turn right.
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