An indoor football club fears it could be put out of business if a nearby cycle lane upgrade goes ahead.
The Soccer Dome is based on Birkenhead Road opposite where Wirral Council plans to upgrade an existing cycle lane.
The scheme was recently delayed at a council meeting with the council pledging to engage with businesses and people on the road going forward.
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The local authority said the current cycle lane doesn’t comply with current regulations and plans would improve road safety and avoid potential collisions at a bus stop.
If it backs out of the scheme entirely, the council could be liable to pay around £147,000 with the deadline for the scheme’s current funding in June, though this may be extended.
Those in favour of the upgrade say it would protect not just cyclists but walkers, visually impaired people or those using mobility scooters.
However lost parking spaces under the council’s current plans has led to concerns it could impact several of the businesses along the road, in particular the Soccer Dome.
Frank Brennan has been running the Soccer Dome since it was first set up in 2005. He said about 90% of his customers come by car, especially in the evening and fears if people are made to park further away, they’ll be less likely to come.
He said he supports cycling and the current route that’s there but argues “there is no need for it. Anything that restricts the parking will restrict the users. People don’t need much encouragement not to exercise.”
At the Soccer Dome, CCTV is in operation monitoring the traffic on the road. Mr Brennan said his technology showed that by 11am on March 14, 3243 cars had used the road, 179 people had walked and 27 used bikes, including motorbikes.
He added: “The council does not want to even think about the consequences to improve a route that has an average of 12 users a day. It is ludicrous.”
Ben Furfie meanwhile has started a petition supporting the cycle lane upgrade. He said: “I was hit by a car on my bike in 2018 so personally it comes down to a need for safety.
“You shouldn’t have a situation, you shouldn’t be waiting for people to be seriously injured or killed before you take action. Effectively we are putting car users above everyone else.”
He said 4 out of 10 people in Seacombe don’t have a car, adding: “It ultimately comes down to who does the council support? What is more important to the council, to protect one business or is it protecting people on the Wirral? Are we putting the needs of people arriving by car over another group?”
He argues a connected cycle network would lead to more users in the long run, adding: “People are riding on the road because they do not have to stop. At the moment the route works for nobody but car users. It creates confusion as people cannot go down it easily.”
While the council has said parking spaces are available on streets nearby, those who spoke to the Echo at the Soccer Dome said they wouldn’t feel safe walking long distances especially with children at night.
Sarah Christmas, who works there, said: “You can’t argue with the alternative parking but it is not safe. It’s going to affect every single street around here and this isn’t the best area. I used to walk but these streets aren’t nice to walk at night, especially as a woman.”
Tracy Mulvey is a child minder and has been bringing children to the Soccer Dome for six years.She said a key issue was a lack of public transport in the area which is served by only two buses along the route, adding: “If you could guarantee it ran every 20 minutes I would but there is just no transport that goes this way. “
Graham Owen, lives in Liscard but said some people come from as far as Parkgate or West Kirby. He’s part of a group for older men.
He added: “It is a special place. I do two sessions here and I just look forward to them. It’s not just football. It is the exercise, it’s the feel good aspect, it’s the social side of it too.
“If I didn’t have this to look forward to, I don’t know. It gives us something in the week that we didn’t have before. At this age, I didn’t think I’d have something like this.
“They are putting funding before people’s health and mental health because we get so much pleasure out of this place. On Saturday, we even have an 83 year old playing.”
Mr Owen said he’s worried if the Soccer Dome closed it could make antisocial behaviour in the area worse and lead to one of the few leisure facilities in the area closing down.
The Soccer Dome doesn’t just provide space for football. It also hosts a party venue, a bar, exercise classes as well as other activities. Those who work there say it also contributes to the local economy and buys locally.
Becky Biddulph said over 500 staff has been trained up since it opened and currently employs about 20 staff. She added: “That is one thing Frank has always done. He has always given people the opportunity to learn and grow and develop.”
Louis Parr began playing at the Soccer Dome in 2007 before moving into academy football playing for teams like Everton and even the under 18s Wales Squad. After leaving football, he said: “I had been looking for a job so getting a job at 17 was a massive help. I owe pretty much everything to this place.”
The decision to delay the scheme has been controversial and likely a key issue in the upcoming elections in Seacombe where Wirral’s Green Party and Labour Party are battling it out.
Wirral’s Green Party, who voted against the delay, argued it would likely kill the scheme “stone dead” and Green leader Pat Cleary said it will put future funding for cycle lanes in “serious jeopardy.”
However, Labour Cllr Paul Stuart argued Wirral Council needed to take a less standard approach and engage more with people in the area when it comes to active travel.
He said: “We should not be socially engineering people out of their cars by narrowing our roads, reducing parking and increasing congestion. We must bring our residents and businesses along with us, get them involved and encourage them to participate when making such significant changes.”
He added: “I accept these regeneration solutions will take time to develop and could put funding at risk. However, officers should discuss with the Combined Authority how this longer lead can be accommodated within the active travel programme to enable the Council to develop solutions that gain residents and business support.”
However Mr Furfie criticised the risk of delaying the scheme past June. He said: "Ultimately the situation that we are likely to see is no more funding for cycling infrastructure across the city region which could put the lives of hundreds of people at risk.
“There is not an easy answer to it but sometimes we have to realise that it is not equal to the entire city region being less safe.”
Wirral Council were approached for comment.
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