Lord Street resurfacing outrage – “we need a sensible solution”

Councillor Tony Dawson is concerned that decisions appear to be taken on issues critically affecting the town, its traders and its residents without anyone local being asked for their input.

“This Lord Street resurfacing decision sums up how Sefton Council addresses Southport matters,” he says.

“Lord Street is a Conservation Area. A Conservation area which has had a red tarmac surface to its main highway for as long as people can remember. So what right has anyone to suddenly say ‘paint it black’?

“If red tarmac costs extra, then local councillors in Southport should have a say in what other spending might be sacrificed to maintain this heritage. Have they asked the Southport Civic Society or anyone else about this?”

Councillor Dawson has asked the Council’s Chief Executive as to how and why major decisions affecting Southport are being made with no input from the local community or our elected representatives.

The councillor’s other concern relates to the trade of the town in the six week period which is planned for the resurfacing.

“It is good that the Council plans to do the work in phases, thus keeping significant chunks of the street ‘open’ at a time. But I am highly-concerned about bus users. Arriva have told me that they are planning to send Lord Street buses along the Promenade. However, bus transport planning should have been an integral part of this project.”

“We have one of the most elderly populations in the country. Some of our bus users are no more able to walk to Lord Street from the Promenade than they would be from Poland or Pakistan. Surely, roads like King Street, Hoghton Street and Bath Street could be used during this work period to keep more bus passengers able to access Lord Street shops and The Atkinson?”