Sefton Council Lambasted for Inadequate Southport Transport Improvements

“Madness,” Einstein allegedly said ,”consists in doing the same thing again and again and expecting a different effect.” 

 That’s what Cllr. John Pugh accused Sefton Council of doing in their feeble attempts to improve Southport’s transport links with Manchester and Lancashire .

At the full Council the ruling administration turned down his plea to show a bit of 'municipal bloody-mindedness’  and set up a transport action committee pulling in all available expertise and stakeholders. They favoured instead  making the usual representations through the Liverpool City Region. 

“This passive strategy has failed multiple times.” states Cllr.Pugh , “ Things have actually got worse as we have lost connections to the airport and south Manchester to satisfy the needs of other areas with sharper elbows. 

 We are no nearer restoring the Burscough curves than we were 50 years ago and you can guarantee we will be at the end of the line for electrification. 

 MPs of all political persuasions have drawn attention to the problem, its negative impact on economic growth- and can go on til they are blue, or alternatively, red in the face. 

 We continue to be humoured and fobbed off with promises of more investment in the North, but in reality it’s extraordinarily hard for projects in our area to get a look in, as experience shows. 

 That's why the Council actively throwing its weight behind a drive for better links to Manchester and making it a major regeneration project would make more sense than simply offering warm words of support to campaigners and commuter groups. "

 Sadly that is not the opinion of the current Sefton administration as shown by this week’s vote and the Council is set to resume its role as a mildly interested passenger instead of actively fighting Southport’s corner. “     

Cllr.Pugh’s outline of the difficulties standing in our way are outlined in this brief video LINK  https://vimeo.com/514429947?share=copy#t=0