Liverpool City Council launches public consultation on new 8km cycle lane from the edge of the city to the centre. Tony McDonough reports
A new public consultation has been launched on a proposed cycle lane in Liverpool running for 8km from Childwall through Wavertree and into the city centre.
Liverpool City Council is asking the public for their feedback on the route that it says would provide access for more than 100,000 people. It would eventually connect to the new Lime Street corridor and then through to the city’s waterfront.
This is one of six permanent routes the council is delivering as part of its Active Travel programme. And will also feature new and improved footways, pedestrian crossing facilities and landscaping.
A six-week long consultation runs until 5pm, Monday, July 31 with information and a feedback form available online at: www.liverpool.gov.uk/activetravelconsultation
As part of the consultation, the council will be hosting three events for the public to view the proposals and ask questions at:
- Frontline Church, Wellington Road – Wednesday, June 28, 4pm to 8pm.
- Liverpool Hope University, EDEN Building, Taggart Avenue – Monday, July 3, 4pm to 8pm.
- Central Library Atrium, William Brown Street – Saturday, July 8, 10am to 2pm.
Following the consultation, the council will then submit a business case for funding the route. If successful, a tender to construct the active travel route would be advertised by this winter.
Cllr Dan Barrington, Cabinet Member for Environment and Climate Change, said: “Liverpool’s cycling offer is not yet where it should be – but as these plans show we are moving in the right direction.
“The Childwall-City corridor has the potential to make cycling an easier option for tens of thousands of people.”
Elsewhere under the Active Travel programme, a year-long scheme to improve 30 access points along the Liverpool Loop Line, which runs 16km through the city from Halewood to Aintree, is set to complete.
A new cycle training facility at Everton Park, funded as part of the British Cycling “places to ride” programme, is also to be officially opened next month.
And a report to the Council’s Cabinet in July will also seek to accept almost £11m to fund three of the active travel routes that were created during the pandemic – West Derby Road, Vauxhall Road and Sefton Park.
Funding for Liverpool’s Active Travel programme comes from the European Union, the Department for Transport, Liverpool City Region’s Combined Authority and planning contributions from the council’s Section 106 fund.
READ MORE: Liverpool Theatre Festival reveals final line-up
Simon O’Brien, Walking and Cycling Commissioner for the Liverpool City Region, added: “We shouldn’t just think of getting on our bikes as exercise – it’s also a cheap and easy way to commute to work, travel to school or college and even pop to the local shops.”
In February Simon warned Liverpool was being ‘left behind’ on cycling infrastructure. He added: “To encourage more people to leave the car at home for short journeys we need to make cycling a really attractive option by building safe, separated routes where people can ride their bikes with confidence.
“That’s why routes like the three new ones being planned around Liverpool are so important.”