Council installing a permanent cycle lane in Hoghton Street in Southport

Last September Sefton Council installed a cycle lane along both sides of Hoghton Street in Southport. the lanes were marked with plastic bollards that were soon knocked out of the ground. 

Eventually the brackets that held the bollards were removed as well. Local business owners and the Towns MP have pleaded with the Council to remove the lanes  permanently.

It would appear that these pleas have fallen on deaf ears.

Today contractors working for the Council are installing concrete kerbs every couple of metres along Hoghton Street.A black and white pole sticks out of the top of the kerbs.

Southport MP Damien Moore said last year...

 “These new cycle lanes are a step backwards by Sefton Council. The scheme is not serving residents or businesses in Southport.

“We want people to come into the town centre and we want to make that decision convenient, particularly at a time when businesses are trying to rebuild after the adverse impact of this pandemic. “This is not a time to be turning residents and tourists away from our town centre or making their experience of our town more difficult. It has to be accessible.

“We want people to be able to drive into Southport town centre and visit local businesses.

“Sefton Council is usually telling the Government that it is short of money. Creating a new cycle route here, which will see them lose up to £137,000 in revenue a year just through the loss of pay and display bays on Hoghton Street, is a case of Sefton Council shooting itself in the foot.

“There has been no consultation with local businesses, many of whom have contacted me to express how concerned they are at the damage these new cycle lanes are already causing.

“I am not against cycling, and I support measures to increase cycling and walking in Southport under the right circumstances and in consultation with local residents and businesses.

“But these new pop-up cycle lanes cannot be created at the expense of local businesses and threaten their existence at a time when they are trying so hard to recover from the pandemic.”

In a report to councillors, Sefton Council said it hopes that the improved cycle network will encourage some users, particularly those travelling on short journeys, to cycle or walk.

They added that “it is also acknowledged there is limited alternative parking around Hoghton Street, so at busy times spaces may not be available and vehicles may divert elsewhere.”

The council report added that the income generated by the pay and display bays to be removed was £137,000 in 2019/20. This was a combination of parking charges and penalty notices.

Sinclair D’Albuquerque, a Conservative Councillor who has been vocal campaigning to remove these lanes since the summer added: "It’s disappointing to see the scrutiny and subsequent review we, and residents in Southport, have campaigned for undermined by further investment into making these lanes more permanent.

"Sefton Council are sending a clear message that they are determined to ignore the wishes of people in Southport and disregard their best interest. Instead opting to force through this project.

"Southport residents absolutely see through this and I believe they will express their dissatisfaction at a lack of strong representatives at the local elections when they are held later this year."