A Wirral road is set to be changed to make way for a new £1.7m cycle lane.
The £1.7m plans to make changes to Price Street, which sits in the Bidston and St James ward, were approved by local authority officers earlier this month. Money for the scheme coming from a mix of European Union and Liverpool City Region funds, the same funding pot as a recent cycle lane that was delayed on Birkenhead Road.
71 people expressed support for the scheme with 20 people against it in a consultation.
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The cycle lane will run along Price Street and connect up with a cycle lane along Beaufort Road. Outside Our Lady’s RC Church, vegetation and trees will line a cycle way and close off part of the road to cars.
At the Duke Street Price Street crossroads, there will be upgraded pedestrian crossings and signals for cyclists as well as improved pavements near the Pacific Hotel.
Explaining the decision, Wirral Council said: “The Price Street scheme is designed in accordance with the latest cycling design guidance to create an environment that is safe for both walking and cycling and to help embed walking and cycling as part of new long-term commuting habits.”
If the council had backed out of the scheme, it could have resulted in the authority being liable to pay £133,000.
One of those in favour of the scheme said: “I feel it will add to the area, and make around the school safer, as well as making it safer for people to cycle or walk. My only concern would be the upkeep of the proposed planting.
“There are other areas around Birkenhead which were designed for low level planting but have not been maintained so have become very unkempt.”
Others praised it as a good idea and would reduce traffic as well as make the road safer for children around Our Lady & St Edward's Catholic Primary School.
Another said: “We need more safe, segregated routes for people on bikes to build a network that makes it attractive and viable for people to start making the majority of their short journeys on foot or by bike. This is a key route that will link up the north of Birkenhead with the routes across Duke Street Bridge and Wirral Waters.”
However objections over the scheme included arguing existing cycle lanes should be better maintained instead or worried it could cause more congestion.
One person said: “Dropping children off at the primary school is already extremely difficult due to the lack of parking. Blocking off the road will cause extreme congestion and add to the stresses of parents.”
Over congestion issues raised, Wirral Council responded: “Any increase in the number of people choosing to travel by walking or cycling could be expected to reduce the number of people choosing to travel by other, less sustainable means of transport, thereby helping to reduce emissions, congestion, and parking issues.”
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