Campaigner recommends people complete Southport Town Consultation

David Barton is recommending that people partake in an online consultation

A prominent campaigner for the heritage of Sefton is recommending that people partake in an online consultation regarding spending allocation of a tranche of the Southport Towns Fund. He has chosen to highlight his own canvassing feedback which it is hoped will ensure Central Government funding is used accordingly.

The Movement, Access & Public Realm Improvements Consultation is specifically targeting expenditure on a series of highway modifications ranging from additional pedestrian crossings to altered width of the main carriageways and associated car parking arrangements across a swathe of roads based in central Southport.

David Barton, former Councillor for the Dukes Ward covering the Town Centre and West Birkdale, believes that many of the spending options are in fact inadequate use of the prized funding which could be better used to improve the civic architecture of the town as part of a move to attract wider scale funding.

The community campaigner, whose ultimate focus has been and remains the restoration of Sefton has undertaken a critical analysis which acknowledges the parts that constitute real-time improvements and those that should really be pursued using Sefton Council’s own designated highways budgets if deemed appropriate by the key stakeholders based there.

CHAPEL STREET:

• Should be a main carriageway again so new benches, trees, planters, etc unnecessary.
• Any street lighting should be a traditional vernacular design.
• Multi-story car park if actioned should be a traditional vernacular design.
• Street Service Boxes, such as BT Telephone Boxes should remain and be repurposed for mobile charger points with excess electrical feeder boxes removed.
• Train Station Entrance should have an authentic reproduction of the original traditional vernacular design reconstructed at this site. Maintenance brings employment opportunities.

SOUTHPORT MARKET AREA:

• Do not create a pedestrianized section on Market Street.
• Leave disabled car parking bays as they are.
• Opening up Princes Street both ways for vehicular activity will attract more passive advertisement and spending here as at Chapel Street in past decades.
• Only Tree planting is worth considering, but alternative S106 budgets are available already.

EASTBANK STREET AREA:

• Proposed Pedestrian Crossing here near entrance to Enterprise Arcade is a good suggestion, although Sefton Highways funding should be used primarily.
• Leave street width as it is.
• Leave disabled bays as they are already.
• Signage wasteful as most people online and only absolute highways safety signage should be on carriageways.

SIGNAGE:

• Retain historic existing brown signs.
• Specificity of area over location is a minority issue; funding can be used more effectively on other projects.
• EV charging points should be prioritized in key spacious sites spread evenly across the area without existing highways infrastructure being changed to drive (future mainstream electric) motorists away from Southport.

MISCELLANEOUS:

• More tree planting across all streets already existent.
• Increased benches.
• Traditional vernacular design street lighting.
• Provision of new Public Toilets in a more traditional vernacular design.
• Funding should be contributing towards reconstruction of Old Builds based along all roads cited including Chapel Street and Eastbank Street besides the Train Station Entrance.

Mr. Barton says: “In summary the initial Public Realm Improvements being quoted simply aren’t ambitious enough despite the sample of good suggestions, such as the Pedestrian Crossings which can actually and should be funded by the Council’s own annual Highways budget.”

He says: “As someone who first raised the topic of Public Realm Improvements at a Session of the Full Council back in 2016, I’m pleased to see that effort is being made to address some local Highway matters.”

“Despite the initial derisory response I received, it is notable that the very same Cabinet Member has so chosen to adopt my wording in an official Consultation some six years later which I shall take as a token of unspoken respect.”

“I would point out however that although this is a great step forwards in the right direction, in view of a majority of the suggestions being ill-suited, a major funding grant, such as the Towns Fund should not be used in place of the official Sefton Departmental budgets presently available.”

“The Towns Fund is and was always supposed to be used to enhance an area’s unique selling point, which in Southport’s case is its civic heritage. The fact that only one site- the Train Entrance has been suggested suggests that those presiding over the Consultation should revaluate how this major grant funding is used if the Local Authority wishes not to appear ignorant in the eyes of the awarding Grant Bodies.”

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