Marine Dr along with parks and gardens in Southport will be closed tomorrow as Storm Eunice arrives

Marine Drive in Southport will be temporarily closed on Friday (February 18th) as part of Sefton Council’s response to Storm Eunice.

A closure will be in pace between the Fairway and Weld Road junctions as a precaution due to high tides and the potential for the road to become temporarily flooded. 

A number of parks across Sefton will also be closed as a precaution in order to keep visitors safe from any falling trees or branches.

Sefton Council will continue to update its communities on any further closures through its normal channels.

The Met Office have announced that incredibly strong winds from Storm Eunice will affect Sefton and its coastline from early Friday morning, with weather worsening as the day progresses.

As a safety precaution, given the road’s exposed proximity to the coastline, Sefton Council has taken the decision to temporarily close Marine Drive in Southport from Fairway to Weld Road between the hours of 10am and 3pm on Friday (18/02/2022).

Sefton Council is recommending that all travel be kept to a minimum and journeys to only be made if they are essential.

A decision has also been made to close Hall Road Car Park in Blundellsands due to adverse weather conditions. This closure will also take place throughout Friday.

Botanic Gardens, Hesketh Park, Moorside Park, Derby Park and Victoria Park will be closed on Friday and a safety assessment will be carried out at each park prior to reopening 

A spokesperson for Sefton Council said: “The UK is going to be seriously affected by Storm Eunice this weekend and Sefton is no exception.

“These pre-emptive closures are designed to keep our communities safe from any harm this storm may cause and we continue to monitor the situation as it develops.

“This means other roads may need to be closed at short notice. We strongly advise people stay away from coastal areas, especially our beaches and unsheltered areas. 

“Please only travel if absolutely essential. The stormy weather could cause significant issues to road and rail transport and there is a strong possibility that a number of trees may be brought down by high winds. 

“There is also potential for widespread power outages and damage to weakened/loose structures like roof tiles, fences and chimney stacks.”

With the right precautions taken and journeys limited to only essential travel, many residents will be able to safely wait out Storm Eunice, with the worst of the weather passing by Sunday (20/02/2022)

For more information and to find additional support, visit www.sefton.gov.uk/stormyweather