A shocking near miss on Lark Lane has prompted calls for a more permanent and safe solution for outdoor eating and drinking on the famous south Liverpool street.
On Sunday, two diners narrowly escaped a horror crash as they sat outside Maranto's restaurant just before 8pm. Harrowing footage shows the pair jump up and out of the way as a white car crashes into the row of tables outside the venue. The man can be seen being thrown to the floor in the clip.
The incident, which has resulted in a 53-year-old woman being charged, has sparked more calls for an improved scheme on Lark Lane to accommodate outdoor eating and drinking.
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In 2020, orange cones and bollards were put in place as Lark Lane was changed to a one-way traffic route in order to allow hospitality venues to accommodate more customers in outside areas due to coronavirus restrictions around numbers allowed inside.
While the one-way scheme was welcomed by many, the cones were highly controversial and considered unsightly by many. Last year the council replaced them with planters and more permanent black bollards.
But local people and businesses have still been hoping that the council will come forward with something more suitable for the long-term and after Sunday's incident, the feeling is this should happen sooner rather than later.
Cllr Tom Crone is the councillor for the St Michael's ward that includes Lark Lane. He said: "This was a shocking incident and we are lucky that someone was not more seriously hurt. If that person sitting in the chair was a child or an older person then it could have been a lot worse.
"We cannot remove all traffic from Lark Lane because of the cul-de-sacs that exist there. People need to be able to get out from their homes."
Speaking of what could happen next, Cllr Crone said: "There are a number of options for Lark Lane. Access only could be one, another idea is a stoppage in the middle of the road to prevent it from being a through road. A lot of work has already been ongoing with local residents, councillors and community groups about how to create a more permanent solution to the bollards which are not a long term option.
"I really hope that the council have a co-design approach to what they come forward with that includes local people and councillors. That way we can create something that is worthy of Lark Lane. This is a destination that people flock to from all over and what is there at the moment isn't good enough and means people eating and drinking in gutters and on double yellow lines.
"I think this incident is a shot across the bows, it is a warning to the council and we need them to get moving on a proper long-term solution for Lark Lane."
Liverpool City Council said a new consultation for how the scheme can progress will be launching soon.
A spokesperson said: “This was a highly disturbing incident and it’s a great relief to see that no one was injured. The new public seating provision on Lark Lane was introduced last summer in consultation with businesses and residents as a result of the Without Walls programme, which was designed to support the hospitality industry throughout and beyond the Covid-19 pandemic.
“The Lark Lane measures were installed under a temporary traffic order, to be analysed and reviewed over an 18-month period, and this is the first dangerous incident in that time.
“As part of this process, the Council will launch a new consultation with the community next month to help explore the best options to progress this scheme in the long term.”
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