Rail strikes and a return to city driving after the covid pandemic caused problems for Liverpool over the Christmas period according to a cabinet member.
Drivers reported being stuck in long tailbacks and marooned in car parks for hours in the days running up to December 25 throughout Liverpool city centre. Scotland Road, The Strand, Islington, Hunter Street and Brownlow Hill were left gridlocked as shoppers and commuters shunned public transport and got behind the wheel to ensure they grabbed last minute bargains.
In a written report to members of Liverpool Council’s climate change and environment select committee ahead of its meeting next week, Cllr Dan Barrington, cabinet member, has sought to offer an explanation as to what left motorists so frustrated across the city. He said: “Over the Christmas period we saw increased levels of traffic in and around the city centre.
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“It is worth noting that the problems over the Christmas period are due to multiple factors including number of people driving into the city following a relative quite two/three years, due to the Covid pandemic; Rail strikes; High level of activities in the city centre e.g. Christmas Market, shopping, events etc. in the city centre; Access to full private car park in the city centre.”
Last month, Merseyside Police said they had deployed the Roads Policing Unit patrols in the city centre in a bid to keep traffic flowing. Cllr Barrington added how the local authority had sought to respond to increasing numbers.
He said: “Over the Christmas period, officers in the Traffic Control team were covering the critical periods including weekends to ensure the impacts of congestion in the city centre are minimised. Over the coming months we’ll start to develop our ‘City Centre Mobility Strategy’ looking at how all modes of transport interact across the city centre.”
In the final days on the run up to Christmas, Liverpool Council said it was doing “everything it can” to alleviate traffic issues with a city centre councillor urging people to use public transport where possible, despite the industrial action throughout December. Some drivers also complained of issues getting out of Mount Pleasant car park owing to a broken barrier preventing both exits being used.
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