Plans for a cycle lane through Crosby Coastal Park have been refused by councillors for a second time over safety concerns.
The proposals, for a 2.4km cycle lane running through the park, had attracted “substantial” controversy with a petition signed by hundreds of local residents.
Dozens of other objections had also been submitted ahead of a meeting of Sefton Council’s planning committee last night (January 18) where the plans were up for discussion by councillors.
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After details of the multi-use cycle lane – including three key changes made since they were last brought to committee in 2022 – were presented by officers to the packed committee room, one local resident spoke of his objections to the scheme.
Speaking on behalf of the Seafront Residents Action Group, which brought the petition, Chris Wolstenholme said he was concerned about numerous aspects of the scheme, including loss of green space and fears the “wide pathway could be adopted as a road.”
He also claimed the design was “inherently dangerous” and a “catastrophe” for the park, adding: “It is a very unpopular idea locally and there is no mandate for this application.”
Mr Wolstenholme also spoke of concerns the plans “prioritise cyclists over everybody else” and that “mixing dog walkers and cyclists will be a nuisance to both.”
He also said that he feared cyclists would continue to use the existing pathway, which would become pedestrian-only under the plans, adding that he believed changes made at three key points were insufficient to allay safety concerns.
Responding, council officer Peter Moore said the development of the multi-use pathway was an “ambition for the council for some time” adding that it would be “unaffected by windblown sand and suitable for people wishing to visit or travel through the coastal park but not go to the beach”.
Mr Moore said: “It aims to accommodate local journeys and assist in responding to the climate change emergency” as well as “improve connectivity.”
He said that several objections lodged were “not relevant to the application or planning process” and that experts who have reviewed the plans have found “no problems” with the design or safety aspects of the proposed pathway, adding that the plans had also been checked and approved by an independent safety team.
However, there were several councillors who said concerns remained about the plans.
Cllr James Hansen said he was concerned about what equality consultation had been carried out with Mr Moore responding that this had been “extensive.”
Cllr Sonya Kelly questioned how the visitor numbers to the park had been monitored and whether this had been carried out a busy times, while Cllr Paula Spencer expressed concerns that children could cross part of the pathway to get between the ice cream parlour and play park and risk being hit by a bike.
Mr Moore said that was an “existing situation” with the park already being used by pedestrians and cyclists.
Cllr Roche said he was concerned people might choose to walk the “shortest route” across the cycle paths, putting them in danger of people riding their bikes but Mr Moore said that mitigation for that had been included in the plans in the form of knee rails as well as signage.
Cllr Spencer repeated her concerns that children could cross the pathway and be at risk of being hit by bikes, asking how many accidents there had been at the site, to which one officer responded that there were no recorded accidents over the past three years.
Questions were also raised about whether the council would be held liable if there was an accident, prompting a response by legal officer Neil Kennard who said that this would come down to “specific circumstances” but if the accident was due to a defect there could be the potential then for an issue.
He added that the pathway had, however, been passed as safe by independent consultants.
Cllr Hansen asked about drainage, with an officer responding that the drainage plans in place were satisfactory.
Cllr Joe Riley likened the plans to “introducing a formula one race track through a pedestrian area” and questioned “unknown potential dangers” and whether there would end up being an “overcrowded use” of the park and its pathways.
Cllr John Kelly asked if cyclists could be asked to dismount on the area close to the play park but head of planning Derek MacKenzie said it would be “difficult to see how it could be enforced.”
Cllr Riley added he believed the plans to keep cyclists and pedestrians apart “relied on chivalry” as Cllr Hansen proposed a motion to reject the proposals, which was seconded by Cllr Spencer.
Following a unanimous vote, the plans for a cycle lane at Crosby Coastal Park were rejected for a second time.
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