Southport’s ten roads most in need of resurfacing and improvement work have been revealed as party of a campaign for Sefton Council to step up its carriageway improvements programme.
Cllr David Barton said his own research had revealed that Liverpool City Region Combined Authority (LCRCA) is receiving £88.2 million for local highways maintenance between 2015 and 2021, with £4.3 million to improve and upgrade local roads.
It is also receiving £60 million between 2015 and 2021 for transport capital improvement schemes and £0.16 million from the national Pothole Action Fund to help fix or stop potholes from forming.
Cllr Barton, who represents Dukes Ward and is a leading campaigner for the restoration and regeneration of Southport, said the town should get its fair share of the money and called on residents to contact him if they had other examples of roads desperately in need of attention.
Cllr Barton’s top ten, compiled through his own research and information from residents, is made up of:
· East Street
· Lord Street
· Liverpool Road
· Hoghton Street
· Cross Street
· Westcliffe Road
· Rotten Row
· Leicester Street
· Hope Street
· Saxon Road
He said: “I have formally requested Sefton Council considers agreeing to the inclusion of a number of residential and well known roads into its carriageway improvements programme for next year onwards.
“I am appreciative of the council’s support in recent years and hope to continue in the long-term highways improvements which can eradicate the image of Southport being just another “tired old town”, especially with regards to attracting more inward investment into its returning retail sector.”
Cllr Barton has previously raised the issue with Central Government with a view to procuring additional support for Sefton Council across the district.
He said: “It is essential that as many roads as possible are targeted and I would request any residents to get in touch so that I may duly assess the merits of each case and wherever possible submit these for potential highways improvements or, wherever possible, a full resurfacing.”
“East Street is a particular example of a road which whilst small has a particular juddering effect which can be a grave nuisance to local neighbours, visitors and people passing through this road.
“Westcliffe Road which has undergone multiple surface dressings is in grave need now of a complete resurfacing treatment as the road can become especially slippery after heavy rainfall and in the frost when chippings subside after inevitable wear and tear.
“Rotten Row and Leicester Street both have distinctive bumps located at the northern end and eastern ends respectively which have proven to be a continuing burden for senior citizens who volunteer on a regular basis for long- established and beloved community groups such as the Friends of Rotten Row. The Hoghton Street crossroads with Church Street also has a significant dip whereupon I have received multiple complaints about the abrupt dropped suspension from regular commuters.”
Cllr Barton also called on the council to either replace damaged rumble zone brickwork on a like-for-like basis on roads such as Portland Street, Houghton Street and Nevill Street or remove it completely. Cllr Barton has also requested additional improvement works be made as soon as possible at Lord Street in light of recent defects that had materialised.
He said: “When it has become loose in the past it has regrettably had to be replaced with crude tarmac, leaving behind an uneven appearance and indeed complaints from several long-standing businesses, who say the material itself can become slippery in the wet.”
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