Lib Dems Have "Called In" Cycle Lanes Decision by Sefton Council

The decision by Sefton Council to retain the cycle lanes installed without consultation under Covid has been 'called in' by the Liberal Democrats. The route from Queens Rd along Houghton St across town to Talbot St was introduced with government money and without consultation at the insistence of Boris Johnson’s government. 

Council officers and the Labour administration will be obliged to defend or change their decision at a specially arranged Overview and Scrutiny Committee.  

“What we need “, says Lib Dem leader, John Pugh, "is commonsense and evidence-led policy. What we appear to be getting so far from the Council is self-justificatory propaganda and the misuse of statistics and we need to put a spotlight on that and not have council members led by the nose.”

Whether the lanes go or stay should rest on whether there is good evidence that policy objectives are met. What is not helpful is Sefton’s lack of clarity on its objectives and seeming reluctance to measure impacts that don’t justify its actions.

If it cannot do so fairly and squarely, it strengthens considerably the case for reversing the changes made in 2021 either wholly or in part.  I am sceptical whether Sefton wants to take on board all the evidence, but flushing out all the data at a Scrutiny Committee will hopefully hinder the attempt to carry on regardless. "