Rejected by Residents, Repackaged by Council: Cycle Lane Plans Return

THE LCWIP is simply Sefton Council trying to impose more cycle lanes on Southport and the rest of Sefton via the back door says Conservative Leader on Sefton Council, Mike Prendergast.

Later this week Sefton Council's Cabinet will approve the adoption of a Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plan (LCWIP). This will effectively give the go ahead for a whole new set of cycle lane projects across Southport and other parts of Sefton.

Commenting Councillor Prendergast said:- "This is just the latest attempt by Sefton Council to impose more of these ridiculous schemes on our local communities. The cycle lanes in Southport Town Centre have reduced Town Centre parking, negatively impacted local businesses and need to be scrapped. In the new LCWIP, the proposed route for much of the Southport plans are almost identical to those overwhelmingly rejected by local people several years ago when Labour wanted to extend the existing Town Centre scheme across the whole town. They just won't take no for an answer and have now repackaged their failed proposal with a new name in the hope that people won't notice. There is also the bizarre proposal to put a cycle lane down the middle of The Promenade and make Nevill Street left turn only. It really is crackpot stuff from people who haven't got a clue how to improve our Town and who seem utterly determined to make it harder for local businesses to make a living."

The previous cycle lane extension proposal, stretching from Crossens to Ainsdale, in Southport was rejected following a consultation which received over 4000 responses. At the time, the Labour cabinet member indicated that he felt the wrong kind of people had taken part in the consultation.

The consultation on the proposed LCWIP garnered just over 300 responses yet will form the basis for huge changes and millions in taxpayer money being spent across Sefton.

Sefton's response to the previous proposals being rejected is to double down, and put forward an even bigger scheme.

Mike Prendergast said:- "Conservatives on Sefton Council are the only party in Sefton who have consistently opposed these pointless and unnecessary schemes. Now Sefton Council want to roll this out again in Southport and across Sefton in Formby, Blundellsands Crosby, Waterloo, Maghull and Bootle. This is not a priority for the vast majority of local residents and businesses. We should be delivering changes that people want to see not wasting time and taxpayer money on this."

MP for Southport and Northern Parishes, welcomes the 1st Road Safety strategy in over a decade

THE 1st Road Safety Strategy in more than a decade will save thousands of lives on the nation's roads. in 2025 alone 4 people on average died every day on England's roads, with thousands more seriously injured each year. These tragedies are preventable. The new strategy sets out bold measures to tackle the root causes of road collisions, harness new technology, and ensure enforcement keeps pace with modern risks. The reforms will:-

Introduce tougher action on drink and drug driving, including:- consulting on lowering the drink-drive limit.
Mandate cutting edge safety technologies in new vehicles.
Improve driver training and testing, including:- a proposed minimum learning period for learner drivers.
Update speed limit guidance and invest in safer road design.
Establish a new Road Safety Investigation Branch to learn from collisions and prevent future harm.

Launched on:- Wednesday, 7 January 2026, the strategy sets out an ambitious plan to reduce deaths and serious injuries on Britain's roads by:- 65% by 2035, with an even more stretching target of:- 70% for children under 16.

Approximately four people die on Britain's roads every day, with thousands more seriously injured each year, but through targeted action on speeding, drink and drug driving, not wearing seat belts, and mobile phone use, thousands of these tragedies can be prevented.

The Government will consult on lowering the drink drive limit in England and Wales, which has remained unchanged since 1967 and is currently the highest in Europe.

In 2023, 1 in 6 road fatalities involved drink driving, but a consultation will explore the use of preventative technology, such as:- alcohol interlock devices, and new powers to suspend driving licences for those suspected of drink or drug driving offences.

This could mean that, in future, some drink drive offenders might be required to have 1 of these devices fitted to their vehicle as a condition of being allowed to drive again.

Inexperience behind the wheel is costing lives. Drivers aged:- 17 to 24, represent just 6% of licence holders but are involved in:- 24% of fatal and serious collisions. To address this, the Government will consult on introducing a:- 3 or 6 month minimum learning period, giving learner drivers more time to develop their skills in varied conditions such as:- night driving, adverse weather, and heavy traffic.

With the number of older drivers continuing to rise as Britain's population ages, a consultation on mandatory eyesight testing for those over 70 will be launched, while options for cognitive testing will also be developed to protect all road users.

New measures will also target the growing problem of illegal number plates, including:- 'ghost' plates designed to fool camera systems, while also cracking down on uninsured drivers and vehicles without a valid MOT.

MP for Southport and the Northern Parishes, Patrick Hurley, said:- "I'm proud to welcome the Government's new Road Safety Strategy; a landmark step that reflects the values of our community. These reforms will save lives, protect vulnerable road users, and ensure the high standards of safety that local people expect. In addition, in my continued support for Sight Safe, a campaign in memory of Marie Cunningham, I will continue to call for obligations for healthcare professionals to report to the DVLA, drivers who are at risk of posing a danger on the roads."

Secretary of State for Transport, Heidi Alexander, said:- "Every life lost on our roads is a tragedy that devastates families and communities. For too long, progress on road safety has stalled. This strategy marks a turning point. We are taking decisive action to make our roads safer for everyone, from new drivers taking their 1st lessons to older motorists wanting to maintain their independence. The measures we are announcing today will save thousands of lives over the coming decade."

Local Transport Minister, Lilian Greenwood, said:- "Our vision with this ambitious Road Safety Strategy is clear: to ensure that people can travel safely on our roads however they choose. One of the hardest parts of my job is speaking to families who have lost loved ones on our roads and this is something we as a Government are taking action to prevent. No family should have to endure that loss, and this strategy sets out how we will work to ensure fewer do. Experts and campaigners have long called for a comprehensive strategy that treats road safety as a shared responsibility; from car manufacturers and Town Planners to drivers and legislators. This strategy, the 1st in over a decade, shows a Government that is not just listening, but leading, and together, we can build a safer future for all road users."

Independent Road Safety Campaigner, Meera Naran MBE, whose 8 year old son Dev, died in a road traffic collision said:- "I welcome this much anticipated road safety strategy and am pleased to see a number of measures set out to reduce road deaths and serious injuries. I am especially grateful to the Secretary of State for giving me her word that she would honour Dev and recognise the importance of legislative change to adopt the General Safety Regulations, as Dev's Law, and for delivering on that commitment. I look forward to working closely with the department to ensure that the appropriate steps are taken to establish a robust and effective framework."

Over the past decade, 22 European countries have made more progress than the UK in reducing road fatalities, causing Britain to slip from 3rd to 4th in European road safety rankings.

This strategy therefore set out a new approach to reverse a decade of stalled progress. The bold strategy adopts the internationally recognised Safe System approach, which acknowledges that while human error is inevitable, deaths and serious injuries are not.

Rather than placing responsibility solely on individual drivers, the system ensures that:- road design, vehicle safety, enforcement, and education work together to protect all road users.

A new Road Safety Investigation Branch will analyse collision patterns and inform prevention strategies, drawing on linked Police and healthcare data to identify root causes and target interventions more effectively.

The strategy also mandates 18 new vehicle safety technologies, including:- autonomous emergency braking and lane keeping assistance. This will ensure drivers and road users in Great Britain benefit from access to these cutting edge technologies and supports growth by requiring manufacturers to meet the same requirements across Europe.

Edmund King OBE, Director of The AA Charitable Trust and AA President, said:- "This is a positively radical reframing of road safety which is long overdue. We commend the Government for its wide ranging and ambitious strategy and ambitious targets which we hope will save the lives of thousands of people. Tackling drivers who drive under the influence of drink or drugs, people who don't wear their seatbelts and those getting behind the wheel without insurance are key to reducing road deaths and serious injuries. We also endorse the mantra of road safety being a life long education, not just when learning to ride or drive."

IAM RoadSmart Director of Policy and Standards Nicholas Lyes said:- "After what can be described as a lost decade in terms of reducing the number of killed and seriously injured on the roads, we welcome the Government's commitment to ambitious targets and robust policies to make our roads safer. The strategy focuses on all key aspects including:- behaviours, training, vehicle technology and enforcement; all of which play a crucial role in keeping us safe on the road. An emphasis on younger drivers and motorcycle safety is particularly positive, considering these are some of our most vulnerable road users. We're also pleased to see action being taken on drug driving, which is a growing menace and by giving Police additional powers to take action against those caught at the roadside, it will serve notice that such dangerous behaviours will not be tolerated."

A new Road Safety Board, chaired by the Minister for Local Transport, will oversee delivery of the strategy, supported by an Expert Advisory Panel drawing membership from local authorities, emergency services, active travel groups, and road safety organisations.

Vulnerable road users remain a key focus. Motorcyclists account for just 1% of motor vehicle traffic, but 21% of road deaths, while children from the most deprived neighbourhoods face 4 times the pedestrian casualty rate of those in the least deprived areas. To address these disparities, the strategy includes:- consulting on reforms to motorcycle training, testing and licencing; and supporting trials to improve motorcycle safety on rural roads.

An estimated 1 in 3 road traffic fatalities involve someone driving or riding for work, prompting the launch of a:-:- 'National Work Related Road Safety Charter' pilot. This will establish a national standard for employers requiring people to drive or ride for work, covering:- HGVs, vans, cars, motorcycles, e-cycles and cycles. It aims to help businesses in both the public and private sectors reduce work related road risk by promoting:- good practice, accountability, and compliance with existing legislation.

The success of this strategy depends on strong partnerships between:- Government, local authorities, businesses, road safety professionals, emergency services, and the public working together to ensure that every journey starts and ends safely.

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Rejected by Residents, Repackaged by Council: Cycle Lane Plans Return

MP for Southport and Northern Parishes, welcomes the 1st Road Safety strategy in over a decade