Council says controversial cycle lanes are here to stay

Sefton Council say that the controversial Town Centre ‘Active Travel’ cycle lanes on Queens Road, Hoghton Street and Talbot Street will remain permanently.

The controversial cycle lanes were initially installed in 2020. Sefton Council say that over 2.5m journeys have been completed along the route.

The scheme was part of a broader initiative by the UK government to promote active travel – such as walking and cycling – as a response to the pandemic and was funded by a Liverpool City Region grant provided by the Department for Transport. The offer of funding was conditional on schemes being on site within 4 weeks and completed within 8 weeks.

The move is detailed within a 96-page report, seen by OTS News, that outlines that the Council will seek a permanent Traffic Regulation Order for the lanes, effectively making them permanent.

The report says that all of the 25 businesses who responded to consultation gave negative feedback to the plans, highlighting that changes to parking availability were causing a considerable effect on their trade.

In 2020 then-Liberal Democrat Councillor Tony Dawson called the plan a “knee-jerk response to a government offer of cash” while the Council leader, Labour’s Ian Maher, responded that the government had placed “significant pressure” on the Council to “urgently reallocate road space to produce cycling and walking facilities.”

A Sefton Council spokesperson said: “With the majority of residents who responded to the consultation saying they were very or fairly satisfied with the route, the high numbers of uses and a 40% reduction in the number of accidents since its introduction, the Council is keen to make the benefits of this scheme permanent.

“By encouraging people to make local journeys by walking, cycling or wheeling, the scheme is contributing to local people’s health, the local and wider environment, as well as making a safer conditions.

“And it is supporting improvements to connectivity throughout the town and its public realm alongside the work of the Town Deal Les Transformation des Southport scheme.”

“While the scheme has been a success and has proved popular with many people locally, we do not consider this to be evidence that the scheme is perfect and are listening to all feedback received to see what further improvements can be made.

“Some businesses who responded raised concerns and the Cabinet Member is being asked to support steps to explore short, medium and long term improvements to address those issues.”