Children are 'frightened to death' about crossing a road in Merseyside

Busy Church Road/A5036 in Litherland.
-Credit: (Image: Geoff Davies/Liverpool Echo)


Children are 'frightened to death' about crossing a road in Bootle after plans to rebuild a footbridge were met by "delay after delay", an MP has said. Bootle MP, Peter Dowd said National Highways (NH) decision not to go ahead with plans for a footbridge over the A5036 showed it made a decision without taking 'appropriate account of the public and pedestrians'.

The A5036 is a busy road which divides two residential areas on its route to and from the port of Liverpool and sees a huge amount of traffic, especially at peak times. Mr Dowd has called on NH to provide an update on plans for the road and what measures will be introduced to allow for safe crossing.

Responding to Mr Dowd's comments, a spokesperson for National Highways said: "Subject to confirmation of funding following the Government’s spending review, we are also planning to deliver an upgraded junction consisting of cyclist and pedestrian crossing points. This provides the best overall solution against key considerations of safety and affordability.”

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Mr Dowd MP was speaking in Westminster Hall on Wednesday, October 16 about the performance of National Highways Maintenance and accused the government department of 'inappropriate' behaviour, 'failing' local residents and displaying a 'complete lack of respect' for local officials.

Mr Dowd said: "It is very difficult to engage with National Highways. There is an absolute lack of candour, a complete lack of respect for elected Members, a lack of respect for the local authority, but most important of all, a lack of respect for my constituents who have to live along that road, which is already challenging for them."

However, the central focus of Mr Dowd's complaint was NH's involvement in the maintenance of the A5036 and the proposals to rebuild a footbridge which would allow safe crossing between the two residential areas which border the road. Mr Dowd described the footbridge as an important piece of infrastructure which had been in place for more than 50 years said plans to rebuild the footbridge had been met by 'delay after delay'.

Vegetation and weeds overgrown on Church Road
Vegetation and weeds overgrown on Church Road

Mr Dowd said: "National Highways said that the figures had gone up, although it is difficult to find out precisely by how much because of its secrecy and lack of candour."

He added: "They decided—as it said in the document—that a footbridge is a 20th-century solution. Try telling that to all those children who are frightened to death to walk across the road, even with their parents."

The attention of elected parliamentarians was also drawn to the maintenance of the A5036. Although the Bootle MP acknowledged the difficulties in maintaining such a major road, he expressed his dissatisfaction with NH's efforts.

Mr Dowd said: "It appears that National Highways’ view is that the weeds do not affect the safety of the road—that, although the weeds are everywhere, they are not six feet high.

"National Highways seems to take the view that that does not matter, and it does not take into account the environment that people have to live in.

Responding to Mr Dowd's comments, a spokesperson for National Highways said: "We are working with Sefton Council to address the concerns raised by MP Peter Dowd.

"Subject to confirmation of funding following the Government’s spending review, we are also planning to deliver an upgraded junction consisting of cyclist and pedestrian crossing points. This provides the best overall solution against key considerations of safety and affordability. In the interim, following the removal of the footbridge for safety reasons, we installed a Toucan crossing located 100 metres west from the Park Lane junction."