Residents urged to complete Access to Southport Consultation
David Barton has his say on the issues facing Southport and Sefton.
Bridge Street is one area mentioned by David Barton
Written by David Barton
A prominent campaigner for the heritage of Sefton is recommending people complete an online consultation regarding hypothetical improvements to Southport’s key eastern commuter routes before April 4 2022.
The consultation is cited as being primarily aimed at reducing congestion whilst improving cycling and pedestrian facilities between the eastern side of the town up to the Southport Road border in Kew with the main shopping centre adjoining the Eastbank Street area. Various highways works have been outlined including redesign of existing carriageways and pavements and the closure of several streets to cars.
The predominant areas include: Eastbank Steet Area (Bridge Street, Eastbank Street, Riding Street); Kew Roundabout (Southport Road, Scarisbrick New Road, Norwood Road, Foul Lane); Virginia Street Roundabout (Southbank Road), North Foul Lane, Norwood Avenue, Tithebarne Road, Bispham Road.
David Barton, former Councillor for the Dukes Ward covering the Town Centre and West Birkdale, affirms that this consultation despite its best intents doesn’t actually account for the needs of residents and businesses. He believes that as many people with a stake hold interest here should take part so that they may provide their own feedback on how any funding received in the future would be best spent.
The community campaigner, whose ultimate focus has been and remains the restoration of Sefton, is hopeful that this highways initiative is duly reconsidered and revised once a fully informed pitch has been created based on as many people’s feedback as possible thereby ensuring complete parity.
Mr. Barton says: “There are numerous disadvantages associated with the existing form of this consultation that [people would be wise to raise with the council before this may be too late as previously happened at Chapel Street in 2006.”
He says: “Proposals such as making Riding Street a one-way passage so that motor vehicles may only turn left onto it are completely out of place alongside closing Southbank Road to cars at the Virginia Street Roundabout, and introducing one way traffic from Hampton Road onto Scarisbrick New Road.”
“Broadly speaking there a number of proposals, such as the widening and narrowing of existing carriageways at Norwood Road, Sussex Road which would neither be conducive for people already based at these locations and in fact the prohibitive use of the highways would only make restructuring the highways cost ineffective in the long-term.”
“I do however agree with the need to install more Crossing Points at a number of the suggested sites as this will permit a greater highways safety in a manner that is appropriate for everyone, especially commercial entities and people seeking to invest in the areas outlined in the consultation.”
Mr. Barton has provided the hyperlink to the consultation here.
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