People in Wallasey are torn over the success of a new bike track installed to quell anti-social behaviour by the town's Central Park.
Those who live around Wallasey Central Park have cast their verdict on a new bike pump track recently installed in a former rose garden. The track, meant for older children, was installed earlier this year and is supposed to help reduce "anti-social behaviour" that "often comes from boredom" in young people.
However since, some people who live in the area have reported feeling fearful or anxious about the tracks, especially those with younger children. Last week, a 13 year old boy was attacked and almost had his bike stolen whilst riding the track.
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Despite this, the verdict from those living near the track is still undecided.
For some it has been a success, and they reported the new track has stopped so many bikes being ridden on the park's public footpaths as if they were a track. They also said that it was a sign of improvement to, and investment in the local area.
Anne Ault, 73, who lives beside Central Park said from what she has seen so far it has been a success. She said she was "chuffed" to see it being built in February.
She said: "We've seen the kids on there and they really appear to enjoy it. We're very pleased with it and we were dead chuffed when we saw them building it. It's mostly teenagers using it. They used to race along the pathways.
"My husband and I used to go around the park pretty much every day. We know the park really well, and we love it when we see things for the younger ones as well as for the likes of us, like this new track.
"And now you've not got to go much into nice weather to see kids enjoying the park."
Not everybody agrees. Vicky, lives in the area with her 12-year-old daughter, told the ECHO: "I think it's good because kids do go there and they are hanging out there more, but I think they've ruined the park. They should've built it over unused land.
"There's lots of mess. I can understand why they would want to do something like that for the kids, because they do need something, but I don't think that was the right place to do it.
"I think it should've been somewhere else that's bigger. A park's a nice place for a family to go, not for older kids on their bikes. I do think they shouldn't have put it there, they should've left it.
"I do think they've made a big mistake putting that there.
"I don't think a park should be for teenagers to hang around in. It's difficult because where would you put it otherwise? But I just don't like it."
Hannah, 39, who lives with her husband nearby, said: "I don't really know where else they could put it. I think the park is a good option because people know it's there, it's in a central location and there's a lot of people for it to service.
"It's given young people somewhere to be. It's a positive thing for kids to do.
"I go for walks quite often in the park and when kids are off school it tends to be quite well used. I think it was used even before it was officially open - kids were using it when the scaffolding was still up.
"I think it's hard to say whether or not it's worked [to make the park more friendly]. Because it's summer it's harder to know because it's still light until late, but what's going to happen in the winter when it's dark, because then going through the park can be an issue for anyone."
When speaking about the plan to construct the bike track in November 2021, Cllr Janette Williamson, the Labour leader of Wirral Council, said: “It is important to offer activities, anti-social behaviour often comes from boredom.
“We’ve got stuff going on in Central Park, with sports activities and the pump track, which we did a consultation on and found over 85% of the participants supported.”
The new track was a key part of the Liscard town centre action plan.
The ECHO approached Wirral Council for comment.
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