These are the NINE ways in which traffic could be improved in the area between Southport town centre and the eastern edge of the town.
People are being given a final chance to share your views on the Southport Eastern Access improvement scheme, which spans from Eastbank Street / Bridge Street to Kew Roundabout and connects to Foul Lane and Meols Cop Train Station.
The initiative is focused on introducing new and upgraded junctions and active travel (walking and cycling) routes along Scarisbrick New Road, Southport Road, Kew Roundabout, Foul Lane, Meols Cop Road, Norwood Road and Haig Avenue.
Sefton Council wants to make it easier for vehicles, cyclists and those walking to move around the area, and explains the changes it is proposing below.
The Southport Eastern Access Consultation closes this Friday (22nd December 2023).
Have your say online here: https://ow.ly/JKXM50QfCsO
Email: Transport.planning@sefton.gov.uk
Call: 0345 140 0845.
1 – Bridge Street Junction
We want to improve the junction on Eastbank Street / Riding Street and Eastbank Street by making Riding Street a one way only road. This means that cars / vans / lorries can only turn left into Riding Street from Eastbank Street. We will add traffic lights to help make this happen.
We want to make the road slightly wider to allow space for cars and parking bays.
We want to make it easier to walk and cycle by improving the paving, so it is smooth.
2 – Virginia Street roundabout
The Virginia Street roundabout in Southport
We want to make this junction better by making Southbank Road one way only for cars/ vans / lorries. This means that cars/ vans/ lorries will still be able to leave the roundabout this way but will not be able to get onto the roundabout from Southbank Road.
We want to make it easier to walk and cycle around this roundabout too so we will put more shared walking and cycling space. We will also put a zebra crossing on St James Street to make it easy for people walking and cycling to cross the road there.
We will create a new access point to the Scarisbrick New Road Baptist Church car park on Southbank Road so cars can still access the car park.
We want to make it easier for cars to leave Southbank Road so we will change the priority to Lineker Street to help this.
3 – Hampton Road
We want to make the junction better for everyone. We want to make Hampton Road a one way only road northbound and make a left turn only from Hampton Road into Scarisbrick
New Road. We will also make a left turn in only from Scarisbrick New Road into Hampton Road.
We would like to make it easier to walk and cycle along Hampton Road by making new paths for
walkers and cyclists and giving them their own space.
We want to make it easier for walkers and cyclists to cross the road so we will put a Tiger crossing. A Tiger Crossing works like a Zebra Crossing but with an extra space for cyclists.
Traffic must stop for walkers and cyclists to cross. This will be across Scarisbrick New Road at the junction with Hampton linking to the cycle lanes and footways on either side of the road.
4 – Kew Roundabout
Kew roundabout in Southport, part of the Southport Eastern Access scheme. Photo by Andrew Brown Stand Up For Southport
We want to make Kew Roundabout better for everyone. We will resurface the road to make it Smooth.
We would like to make it easier to walk and cycle in this area by making separate paths for walkers
and cyclists and giving them their own space. We would like to have a separate path for cycling and walking around the roundabout and onto Town Lane (Town Kew), Scarisbrick New Road, Meols Cop Road and New Foul Lane.
We would also like to have a separate path for cycling and walking in both directions through Meols Park linking Scarisbrick New Road with Meols Cop Road.
We want to make it easier for walkers and cyclists to cross the roads so we will put separate crossings for walkers and cyclists on Scarisbrick New Road, Town Lane (Kew), Meols Cop Road and the road linking to Tesco Petrol Station and McDonald’s linking to the cycle lanes and footways on either side of the roads.
5 – Castlemore Junction
We want to make Castlemore Junction better for everyone. We will close Foul Lane and change
the current roundabout into a three-arm signalised junction.
We want to make it easier for walkers and cyclists to cross the roads so we will put a crossing for walkers and cyclists at Foul Lane and Scarisbrick New Road junction linking to the cycling and walking paths on either side of the road.
We would like to make it easier to walk and cycle along Scarisbrick New Road and Southport Road by making separate paths for walkers and cyclists and giving them their own space. We
would like to have a separate path for cycling and walking for the whole stretch of Scarisbrick New Road and Southport Road from Castlemore Junction to the boundary with Fine Jane’s Brook
6 – Foul Lane Enhanced Cycleway
We would like to make Foul Lane better for everyone. We want to add a new section of road on Foul Lane near to Foul Lane parking which will open up Foul Lane linking into Crowland Street.
We would like to make it easier for cars/ vans/ lorries to get to the waste recycling centre so we will create a dedicated turning lane into it from Foul Lane.
We would like to make it easier to walk and cycle along Foul Lane by making separate paths for walkers and cyclists and giving them their own space. We would like to have a separate path for cycling and walking for the whole stretch of Foul Lane from the Kew roundabout to Crowland Street.
We also want to make it easier for walkers and cyclists to cross the roads so we will put crossings for walkers and cyclists at Foul Lane and New Foul Lane junction and at the roundabout near Foul Lane parking car park linking to the cycling and walking paths on either side of the road.
7 – Sussex Road Junction
We would like to make Sussex Road junction better for everyone. We want to widen the road to make two lanes on Norwood Road approach for traffic and make two lanes on Sussex Road
approach for traffic.
We also want to make it easier for walkers and cyclists to cross the roads so we will widen the footways at the Norwood Road / Peel Street / Sussex Road junction to make it safer for walkers
and cyclists to cross the road.
The access points to the houses and businesses on Sussex Road and Norwood Road will remain and new kerbs will be provided where the footways have been widened near the junction.
8 – Bispham Road Junction
We would like to make the Bispham Road junction better for everyone. We want to widen the road to make two lanes on Norwood Road approach. We will also make two lanes on Norwood Avenue approach for traffic.
We would like to make it easier to walk and cycle along Tithebarn Road and Bispham Road by
making separate paths for walkers and cyclists and giving them their own space. We would like
to have a separate path for cycling and walking for a small stretch of Tithebarn Road from the
junction with Norwood Road and a small stretch of Bispham Road, near the junction with Norwood Road.
We also want to make it easier for walkers and cyclists to cross the roads so we will ban cars
from turning left from Norwood Road into Tithebarn Road to allow a crossing point for walkers and cyclists, making it safer to cross the road. We will also put an advanced cycle stop line – this is a space in front of the traffic and set of traffic lights that allow cyclists to go before cars, vans and lorries. This will be on Bispham Road and Tithebarn Road
9 – Meols Cop High School Active Travel Access
Meols Cop High School in Southport
We would like to make it easier to walk and cycle to Meols Cop School.
We would like to make it easier to walk and cycle along Meols Cop Road and Haig Avenue by
making separate paths for walkers and cyclists and giving them their own space. We would like
to have a separate path for cycling and walking for a small stretch of Meols Cop Road, from
Meols Park to the bicycle store in Meols Cop School grounds and a small stretch of Haig Avenue, near the junction with Forest Road and the back entrance of Meols Cop School.
We also want to make it easier for walkers and cyclists to cross the roads so we will put crossings for walkers and cyclists on Meols Cop Road near Meols Park and Fine Jane’s Brook
and on Haig Avenue near the Forest Road junction, linking to the cycling and walking paths
on either side of the roads.
Plan aims to tackle congestion for motorists and ‘rat running’ on key routes
Sefton Council is improving streets and the transport network to support its Sefton 2030 Vision, throughout the whole of the borough of Sefton.
Southport is recognised as a key area in the borough’s plans to grow the economy and better public spaces and transport networks will help towards this. The Southport Eastern Access improvement scheme will improve the road network, footways and cycling routes between the town centre and the Southport Road border in Kew.
Sefton Council said: “Our plans would look to improve the overall conditions for all users including drivers, walkers and cyclists. Our plans will help to tackle congestion issues for motorists and ‘rat running’ on key routes to and from Southport town centre, including Scarisbrick New Road and through the local area including Norwood Road, Meols Cop Road and Butts Lane.
“Our plans will also help to improve access to Kew Retail Park and the wider area and the industrial units on Crowland Street and to update walking and cycling paths at the eastern side of the town.
“The Southport Eastern Access improvement scheme gives us the chance to develop traffic calming and safety measures as well as to improve the overall look and feel of key public areas as part of an additional scheme. We will work with the community to put these further measures in place to make sure that traffic use the main roads rather than travelling through the residential areas.”
Do you have a story for Stand Up For Southport? Do you need advertising, PR or media support? Please message Andrew Brown via Facebook here or email me at: mediaandrewbrownn@gmail.com
