Local traders are growing increasingly concerned over proposals to introduce traffic calming measures in the town centre.
A collection of several companies is forming a working group and has now acquired legal representation in their opposition to the Southport Liveable Neighbourhood.
Walking and cycling charity Sustrans is currently consulting with businesses and members of the public over the possibility of introducing a wide scope of initiatives within a large area of the town centre that could include cycle lanes, speed bumps, access times and even full pedestrianisation.
The purpose of the scheme is to reduce throughfare in the area, pushing traffic to the outer arterial roads.
No firm plans have been tabled but Sustrans hopes to begin trials, based on feedback provided during the consultation process, in May.
A statement from the businesses, seen by OTS News reads: “We are currently trying to set up a working group which includes residents and businesses in the area that is proposed for the Southport Liveable Neighbourhood Scheme.
“The purpose of this group is to enable a wider, independent collective of views and to for us to work together as one rather than on an individual level as well as reaching a wider audience within the proposed area. This will enable us to present our views in an open, coherent and transparent manner to the organization that Sefton Metropolitan Borough Council instructed to deliver the Southport Liveable Neighbourhood Scheme.
“We have retained the services of Darren Rogers of Chiltern Law.
“We aim to set up a Facebook group within the next few days.
“Please contact us at j.baldwin@amsplumbing.co.uk”
A different business owner with a premises inside the area told OTS News: “The consultation process has been quite an awful exercise.”
Following an online workshop held at the weekend, the business owner said: “We were dictated to during an abysmal Zoom meeting on Saturday and just told to follow their lengthy Power Point presentation.”
“We were split into seperate groups and anyone who offered a dissenting view was muted.”
“Sustrans says that the public can be involved in designing their own neighbourhood, but there doesn’t seem to be any option to say ‘we don’t want this change’. This organisation exists wholly through funding on implementing schemes like this one, and they seem determined to force this scheme through.
“This scheme would affect thousands of Southport residents, but no-one seems to have really picked up on it.”
Traders on Shakespeare St are particularly concerned that the consultation may recommend a full pedestrianisation of the road. Only one respondant told the consultation that there was too much traffic down Shakespeare Street.
The public consultation also shows residents and business owners on the outer arterial roads have significant concerns about the plan.
One business owner on Lord St replied to the public consultation: “Should the proposed closing off of roads (such as Duke street/Portland Street) to vehicular traffic within the liveable neighbourhood boundary take place, there would be a huge and unacceptable increase in the volume of traffic forced onto the boundary roads. This would in turn lead to increased congestion, pollution and danger to road users, pedestrians and cyclists on these roads.”
A home owner on Duke Street replied simply: “Leave it alone”.
On St Peter’s Church, one respondant said: ” If St Peter’s Rd becomes a boundary road for this project I would be concerned about the safety of the older/infirm/young children having to cross a busier road.”
Residents were particularly unhappy with the plan to push more traffic towards a blind bend on Everton Road.
One homeowner told the survey: “Encouraging more cars to use this road is madness”, another: “This is a blind bend. It would NOT cope with higher levels of traffic safely.”
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