More traffic wardens will “transform” Liverpool’s active travel ambitions according to a former cabinet member.
Cllr Laura Robertson-Collins made the daring suggestion that further parking enforcement officers were needed across the city in a bid to encourage more people to walk and cycle on a daily basis. The Labour member for Greenbank ward said an alleged “lack” of parking enforcement was hurting the city’s green ambitions and made the controversial call for a further clamp down on errant motorists.
Speaking at Liverpool Council 's climate change and environment select committee, she said: “That is completely undermining active travel and getting people to use public transport and getting people to walk to school in our localities. It’s actively undermining any action we’re trying to take locally with people.
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“That complete lack of enforcement of people parking on pavements and on yellow lines, the bad habits people have got into. Outside of the city centre, nobody gets a ticket, everyone gets away scot-free and it’s really, really having a massive impact on our attempts to improve things locally.”
Active travel refers to making journeys by physical means, such as walking and cycling. The committee was told how the UK government has encouraged active travel even further by setting up a new commission – Active Travel England (ATE), that will review all highway improvements to ensure they incorporate active travel measures and comply with the latest guidance.
Cllr Robertson-Collins, who quit her role as cabinet member for environment and sustainability last year over concerns around the Lime Street renovation scheme, said one way to improve things was a recruitment drive of enforcement officers. She said: “If there’s one thing anyone can do, please send some traffic wardens outside the city centre, recruit some new traffic wardens, that would transform a lot of what we’re trying to do.
“That alone would transform some of our local districts, just traffic wardens, please, please, please.” In January, Cllr Dan Barrington, cabinet member for climate change and environment, said work was still required to ‘change the dial’ on people’s behaviours and better understand what motivates them when it comes to active travel.
Karen Agbabiaka, interim chief highways officer, said a strategy around charging points was being prepared and the highways team would use Cllr Robertson-Collins’ feedback to instigate a review of parking enforcement. The Labour councillor replied: "I'm really sorry but I don't want you to review it again.
"There are parking wardens employed by the city, in the city centre, I do see them sometimes. They need to come out of the city centre and go down Smithdown and Wavertree High Street and other places that are absolute hotspots because we do know where those hotspots are."
Christine Darbyshire, Liverpool Council senior development manager, told Tuesday’s meeting that the authority needed to “engage better with communities” before installing active travel provisions. Cllr Robertson-Collins said the council needed to “square some circles” around its green priorities, such as rolling out further electric vehicle charging stations.
