Conservative Leader urges publication of controversial town centre cycle lane consultation results

Following the recent consultation on the “temporary” town centre cycle lanes, running from Hesketh Park, Houghton Street, Chapel Street and on to Talbot Street, Conservative Leader on Sefton Council, Mike Prendergast, is calling on the results to be published as soon as possible.

Councillor Prendergast said, “The last time we had a consultation, over 4000 responses were submitted from a range of people across Southport. The overwhelming response was against the cycle lanes and the proposed extension of the scheme.

At that time, significant pressure had to be placed on the Labour leadership on Sefton Council to publish the consultation results. The results of the consultation were clear to everyone, except Labour, who claimed at the time that the wrong sort of people took part in the consultation. 

Businesses along the temporary cycle lane route, which is what the latest consultation relates to, have suffered, it has limited access to the town centre for those that rely on their vehicles and, apart from anything else, it’s been a colossal waste of public money, that there was no obligation on Sefton Council to apply for and spend.

The most recent consultation has been strictly limited by those pre-selected by Sefton Council to take part in the consultation, presumably in an effort to make sure that the right people take part this time.

I hope that the people of Southport don’t have to wait months and months to find out the results of the consultation and that their views are genuinely reflected in the consultation results, as they were last time. 

There would be no logic in retaining a temporary cycle lane scheme in the heart of Southport town centre that does not appear to be used a great deal, nor does it link up to a wider cycle lane network.

This sorry cycle lane saga has been dragging on for far too long and it’s time for Labour to simply accept the fact that nobody wants the cycle lanes and they should get on with the job of ripping them out and reinstating the town centre parking.”

The consultation on the town centre cycle lane scheme closed on 3rd July, and the results are eagerly awaited.