Almost £3m will be put towards plans for improved cycling and walking routes in Wirral.
Tonight’s meeting of Wirral Council’s economy and regeneration committee backed plans to accept £2.89m of funding from the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority (LCR) to help develop more than four miles of walking and cycling infrastructure.
This plan will help to create so-called ‘active travel’ links between Wirral Waters and Seacombe ferry terminal to the north, and Woodside ferry terminal to the south.
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It is hoped the routes will encourage people to move around on foot or by bicycle and reduce their use of cars.
The £2.89m sum will go towards things such as consultation and appointing a contractor, with this project being the second Wirral element of the LCR’s Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plan (LCWIP).
Cllr Pat Cleary, who leads the Green Party group on the council, said there were tight timescales in which to deliver the routes. He wanted to know if the council had the capacity to deliver them on time.
Sally Shah, Wirral Council’s chief regeneration officer, said the council was aware of the timescales and was confident it could deliver the projects within them.
Conservative councillor David Burgess-Joyce pointed to changes in the Highway Code, which officially come in on Saturday and put road users most at risk of collision at the top of the hierarchy.
He wanted to know if they had made a difference to the council’s plans for cycling and walking routes.
Ms Shah said the council’s initial assessment is that these changes will not make a difference to the plans.
Below are the six projects, five for cycling and walking improvements and one for 'green infrastructure', to be brought forward and what they will bring to the borough.
Phase A - Woodside to Four Bridges
- This will provide improved cycle route connectivity of the Wirral Circular Trail to the riverside, along Tower Wharf and Morpeth Wharf.
- It will also remove barriers to cyclists at the terminus of Morpeth Wharf, where they are currently unable to transition from Morpeth Wharf to the riverside path, without dismounting.
Phase B - Seacombe Riverside
- This scheme involves a traffic free route along the dock edge and riverside.
- This includes re-marking the existing marked public right of way to the northern boundary, away from the dock edge, between Birkenhead Road and the Alfred Dock inner lock gates.
Phase C - Birkenhead Road
- This proposal is for a fully segregated scheme, which will provide a connection between other existing and proposed walking and cycling facilities.
- It will also restore an area of public realm, between Corbyn Street and Birkenhead Road, to form a pocket park for use as community space.
Phase G - Northbank/Duke Street Connect
- This will provide priority crossings for pedestrians and cyclists.
Phase I - (Bidston Moss)
- This scheme is likely to be predominantly grassland habitat improvements to benefit invertebrates and pollinators, such as bees and butterflies.
Phase J – Price Street
- This proposal is for a series of high quality modal filters between Beaufort Road and Rendell Street, to create a ‘Quiet Street’ environment.
