Residents demand closure of 'nightmare' cycle lanes seen as 'accident waiting to happen'

Residents are outraged after the installation of 'nightmare' cycle lanes which one councillor described as 'an accident waiting to happen'.

The cycle lane scheme in Southport was introduced with the aim of 'improving walking and cycling facilities to and in the town centre'. The project is funded by Active Travel England which is a government agency responsible for making walking, wheeling and cycling the preferred choice of travel for people in both rural and urban areas.

However, the project has become increasing controversial in recent months after local residents complained the cycle lanes are 'tokenistic', 'unused' and 'dangerous'.

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The lanes in question are situated on a number of inter-connected routes leading into Southport town centre, but particular focus has been centred on the lanes constructed on Queens Road, Hoghton Street, Chapel Street and Talbot Street.

The Sefton Council meeting held at Bootle Town Hall last night (Monday June 10) met to acknowledge the objections raised during an official consultation process and to approve the Traffic Regulation Orders (TRO) permitting the continuance of the cycle routes. The TROs would allow for a series of 'Prohibition of Driving' orders in newly created pedestrianised areas which cyclists would be exempt from.

The council noted two objections to the TROs in relation to Queens Road and Hoghton Street. One letter read: "This lane was created initially very quickly without proper forethought or planning or any meaningful community involvement. Anyone who actually lives in the area would tell you it was not and is not required."

Celia Byrne and Wendy Pleasance are two Southport residents who attended the council meeting hoping to lodge their objections in person. They were both incensed at what they called 'undemocratic' proceedings after witnessing the council approve most of of the TROs.

They described how 'thousands' of objections had been lodged about the cycle scheme before the official consultation and accused the council of using the process as a tool to quieten 'dissent'.

Celia lives around the corner from Hoghton street and Queens Road and said very few cyclists use the cycle lanes. She said: "Local residents are up in arms and have signed petitions to get this cancelled.

"We’ve just heard today in the meeting they have completely ignored the previous petitions.

"We live there and we know people don’t use them. We're just not being listened to."

Wendy lives by Hesketh Park and regularly uses Albert Road which we said is now a 'nightmare' route. She said: "Queens Road is absolutely empty and anyone with half a brain of sense can see this situation is completely ridiculous.

"We now have Queens Road empty and it will remain that way because there’s no cars and no cyclists. Why have an empty road? There’s just no intelligence behind it.

"This is another backwards step for the town which is becoming more and more like a ghost town and making it harder for people to come into the town."

These are sentiments shared by Conservative councillor, Mike Morris who is the elected representative for Cambridge ward. Cllr Morris said he was against the scheme from the start and should never have been installed. He also quizzed the council on why the 'many thousands' of local resident objections had not been noted when creating the evaluation report.

Specifically in regards to the cycle lanes, Cllr Morris said: "They’re not used. I’ve never seen them used.

"I think on chapel street it’s become a nightmare for pedestrians because the lanes are not marked out clearly enough.

"I still think Chapel Street is an accident waiting to happen."

Cllr. Judy Hardman echoed this objections and also described how she ‘narrowly missed’ being by cyclist on Chapel Street.

Councillors had the power to send back to the TRO proposal for Chapel Street to the cabinet member to reconsider the issue residents had articulated in the consultation process and the concerns raised by the councillors in chamber.

The Chapel Street proposal was duly sent back and the other TROs were approved.

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