Cycle lanes for Lord Street and Ainsdale investment among ideas to make Southrport greener and cleaner

Ainsdale could see investment in its historic leisure assets, while Lord street could be redesigned with new dedicated cycle lanes and better access for pedestrians under plans to make Southport cleaner and greener. 

The proposals are revealed in Southport Town Deal’s Big Ideas for the town, with people invited to have their say through the three week Wider Consultation which begins today. 

All new major housing and commercial developments within the town centre and Waterfront would be designed to net zero carbon standard, while public sector sites would be used to generate energy.

Consultation on the draft Vision and the Big Ideas for Southport will run from today (Monday 29th June) until Monday 20th July – local residents, businesses and visitors are invited to provide their comments online at https://yourseftonyoursay.sefton.gov.uk/futuresouthport/

Those without internet access are encouraged to call the consultation hotline on 0808 168 8296.

Creating places for people to lead healthy lives and addressing climate change are two of the biggest challenges that we currently face. Southport starts from a position of strength. The coast, the parks, gardens and green spaces in the town all contribute to making it a healthy place to live, work and visit. Opportunities for walking and cycling within the town also helps people to stay healthy and active.

The Masterplan seeks to invest in these healthy living assets of the town, while planning ahead to make future developments environmentally sustainable and carbon neutral.

The Big Ideas are described in words and pictures below. The images used are for illustrative purposes.

1. Ensure major new housing and commercial developments within the town centre and Waterfront are designed to net zero carbon standard, to help the borough to transition to net zero carbon by 2030

2. Use of public sector sites to generate energy, where appropriate, in line with the Sefton Climate Emergency Strategy

3. Redesign of Lord Street to provide greater pedestrian and cycle priority, including:

1. Creation of dedicated cycle lanes along the entire length of Lord Street
2. Enhanced pedestrian crossing points at the junctions with streets / routes connecting the town centre with the Waterfront (for example Nevill Street and Scarisbrick Avenue)

4. Investment in electric vehicle charging infrastructure in the town centre and as a feature of new car parking facilities

5. Development of modern interchange facilities that encourage greater use of sustainable forms of transport (including bus /  train / pedestrian / cycle)

6. Provision of an electric shuttle bus (e-shuttle) linking the new interchange with the Waterfront attractions and Lord Street

7. Secure funding for continued improvement and restoration of historic parks and gardens for future generations (e.g. Botanic Gardens, Hesketh Park)

8. Secure investment in the leisure assets at Ainsdale-on-Sea and facilities serving the coastal attractions

What people have already told Southport Town Deal: 

• The beach and the coast are really important assets and need continued investment to ensure that they are accessible and attractive to residents and visitors
• The parks and formal gardens, as well as open spaces, are part of what makes Southport a healthy and happy place to live
• Some parks require investment to ensure their quality is maintained for current and future generations (for example the Botanic Gardens)
• The cycling routes along the coast and linking the town centre and neighbourhoods are good
• Rail links to Manchester are poor and discourage more people from using public transport
• There are no direct rail links to Preston and Central Lancashire, despite it being close to Southport