Pugh says proposed Southport cycle scheme could send cars ‘round the houses’

The prospect of spending a lot of money on a cycling scheme that ticks none of the right boxes is causing concern in many quarters according to Liberal Democrat , John Pugh including amongst those committed to greener, more sustainable transport. 

He wants the Council to look at viable alternatives that encourage cycling without making more difficult car routes across Southport town centre  -especially to Ocean Plaza and the new Events Centre.

“I have had to conclude,” says Cllr.Pugh “that the currently proposed scheme meets few of the requirements for good cycling investment. It duplicates an existing route , bizarrely forces cyclists into the middle of the road and criss crosses the route with 8 pedestrian crossings. Added to which it unnecessarily sends cars 'round the houses’, adding to the carbon footprint of Ocean Plaza and the conference centre and makes parts of the Promenade less safe.”  A You Tube Video spells this out  HERE  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0NWnGeRIJs0

"If cycling really matters to the Council,” continues Cllr.Pugh, " it should at least  consider a far less disruptive and proven alternative which creates road space for cyclists and lowers the speed limit to 20 mph . That could be done at a fraction of the cost of the Council planned scheme, leaving money over for other choices-  be they bettering cycling, upgrading pavements or paying off the Council’s mounting debts.

We need a proper ‘green assessment’ of this scheme. The Council claim the new events and conference centre will generate an extra 600,000 visitors to Southport. Very few of those visitors and hardly any of current visitors come by bike. 

Making most of them take a longer route by car to the seafront than is currently possible will add between 84 -141 tonnes of extra carbon to the atmosphere - even if it doesn’t annoy them in the process (1)  Whereas a simpler, cheaper alternative with a lowered speed limit would reduce potential carbon emissions.

I sincerely hope there is still scope for rational discussion and that we don’t find, as with the Aviary, the Council doubling down on their mistakes." 

FOOTNOTE - (i) Calculations are based on cars following a direct path from the Eastbank St/Lord St junction and do not in general choose to turn left at Neville St ( a right turn is prohibited in the current planned scheme) and shunt back and forth along the Promenade which would severely impact on the popular Scarisbrick Avenue pedestrian crossing.