Sefton Council's Consultation Hub

A public consultation was held on the Maritime Corridor Improvements scheme, between Monday 1^st March and Sunday 11^th April 2021. The Maritime Corridor area reaches from Switch Island to Netherton Way (A5038), including the A59 Ormskirk Road and the A5036 Dunnings Bridge Road,  linking Atlantic Park to the wider region and the Port of Liverpool. The proposed improvements involve the upgrade of  5 key junctions throughout the area;  as well as providing better facilities for walking and cycling. The key aim of the scheme is to improve the traffic conditions and make the area more accessible for all transport users.

We asked how supportive / what people thought of the proposed junction changes for the 5 key junctions on the scheme.  We also gave people the opportunity to make any other comments (as an open text box question).

Each of the junction improvement had its own page on the consultation to allow people to comment on them all separately or just one.

The junctions we asked about were:

• Netherton Way (A5038) / Bridle Road – improvements to lanes and road markings and widening of Bridle Way approach.
• Netherton Way (A5038) and Bailey Drive – improvements and pedestrian crossing.
• Bridle Road / Vesty Road / Atlantic Park Drive – realignment to allow a new right turn from Atlantic Park Drive
• Dunnings Bridge Road / Atlantic Park Drive – new left turn into Atlantic Park Drive from Dunnings Bridge Road
• Ormskirk Road / Park Lane - improvements to the traffic light signal timings

We also asked about how people felt about the active travel elements including to the potential of:

• Having a separate path for cycling and walking for the whole length of Dunnings Bridge Road from Switch Island to Netherton Way.
• Having separate paths for cycling and walking on Bridle Way, Netherton Way and Park Lane.
• Closing Heysham road / railway bridge underpass to all traffic except for cyclists linking up to the National Cycle Network route 62.
• Different options to link to the NCN 62 via Park Lane.

1. There are concerns that the scheme will just lead to increased traffic; and more lanes of traffic at certain junctions would just mean more traffic.
2. There is a need to build Rimrose Valley and this will then directly relate to what is done in the Maritime Corridor area.  This is just a “meantime”  option before Rimrose.
3. What is happening with the Port of Liverpool Access Scheme? It’s not clear how the scheme relates to Port activities and the Port of Liverpool Access Scheme.
4. HGVs are a problem and this will increase, is there going to be a HGV site / lorry parking on Atlantic Park?
5. Air and Noise pollution are already high and will get worse.The scheme is not supportive of Sefton’s Climate Emergency for GHG emissions.
6. There is a concern that safety will not be improved it will be made worse.

1. The scheme has been designed and developed to mitigate the current congestion and the potential future traffic that may result as part of development at key sites on Atlantic Park and in the wider area.  Sefton Council are improving existing junctions with this scheme and not increasing or adding to the existing road network area. Atlantic Park has been designated for development within Sefton’s Local Plan. The scheme itself will therefore not attract traffic but will be an enabler for better movement of traffic and accessibility by all modes of transport. The scheme is set against an already busy situation that may get busier due to development ; however, the Council want to ease this and encourage alternative modes as far as possible. Active travel elements are therefore being embedded throughout the scheme.
2. A separate scheme is being progressed by Highways England to alleviate congestion on the A5036 by constructing a new bypass through Rimrose Valley to improve access to the Port of Liverpool.  This is known as the Port of Liverpool Access Scheme and this is not under the control of Sefton Council.
3. Due to the Covid-19 pandemic at the time of the consultation, the Highways England scheme  Port of Liverpool Access Scheme has been delayed and Highways England are still working on the development of the scheme. Sefton Council is developing the Maritime Corridor scheme as a standalone scheme that is not dependent on or related to the delivery of the Port of Access scheme.  Sefton Council and Highways England are in regular contact and will work together wherever possible on improving transport throughout the wider area. The Maritime Corridor scheme is intended to support potential development within the area, such as at Atlantic Park and it is not related to the Port of Liverpool or  the Port of Liverpool Access Scheme.
4. The Council has very little influence over the numbers of HGVs in the area and any increases would depend on the type of development that occurs in the area,  but there are no plans to create an HGV parking facility within the area.
5. Air quality and noise have been considered as part of the development of the early stages of the scheme, in accordance with the Department for Transport guidance in these areas and will be assessed further as the scheme develops. Because the road network area is not being increased and traffic levels are expected to remain similar to the current levels, the noise impacts were found to be slight. Air quality and pollution are key environmental factors which are being fully considered. Sefton Council has declared a Climate Emergency (2019) and  is committed to comply with worldwide agreements in relation to climate change and be net zero by 2030. Sefton Council aims to improved air quality throughout the whole Borough.  This will be achieved via technological improvements, reduced travel, better congestion management and promoting sustainable travel modes.  This scheme has been considered under these objectives and further scoping of air quality assessments is being undertaken as part of the next steps of the development of the scheme.  The scheme includes a range of measures intended to support walking and cycling in the area, which will make it easier and safer for people to choose to walk or cycle, rather than use cars and help to reduce carbon emissions.
6. One of the main objectives of the scheme is to improve safety for  all road users at junctions on all routes within the corridor. The inclusion of the segregated cycling and walking improvements will enable enhanced safety and wellbeing.

For further information, please visit:

https://yourseftonyoursay.sefton.gov.uk/investment-programmes-and-infrastructure/your-sefton-your-streets-feedback/

Background

The consultation was undertaken in October-November 2020 to seek the views of both golfers and non-players about the current management of the golf course, and its potential development in the future. This was promoted on site and on-line, with targeted efforts to the resident club, existing players, local schools, colleges and businesses. We received 177 responses.

This consultation was undertaken as part of a wider plan to develop both the course and existing facilities including the development of a driving range on site. The plan was to see the views of golfers, residents, business and visitors and use the information to develop a way forward for the course.

Response

From the questionnaire responses it is fair to say that the respondents enjoy the course, even though they feel the off-course facilities are inadequate. The condition of the course is felt to be acceptable and respondents appreciate that it stays open most of the year compared to other local courses. Despite the poor condition of facilities off the course, golfers do continue to use the course. Golfers would like to see improvements in all elements of the course, from the course itself, practice facilities and the built facilities too, while non-golfers would like improvements to the Whitehouse Café.

There is support for a Driving Range to be developed alongside improving the putting green already on site to upgrade the practice facilities available to users. There is an overwhelming response to improve the off-course facilities with re-opening the Whitehouse Café to provide a bar and clubroom with an associated food offer – somewhere for golfers to get hot food and drink before, during and after a round of golf. Interestingly a few non-golfers responded with the need for a bar as a social place for local residents bringing back a facility that was lost to the area a number of years ago. On the course itself, people would like to see improvements in and around the course including improving the drainage. There was overwhelming support for a possible redesign on the course to improve it.

Overall, the consultation has identified the need for significant investment in both the practice and built facilities at the course and has also identified where smaller investment is needed on the course. Investment is being sought to develop the practice facilities through a prudential loan and there is a long-term ambition to develop the Whitehouse Café to improve the built facilities / food and drink offer through a concession.

What we are doing

Course improvements are on going with improvements to ditches (to aid drainage) and irrigation system planned in the winter of 21/22. Officers are looking at proposals to improve the wider course too with potential external investment in this.

Plans are being drawn up to consider opportunities for the Whitehouse café with a view to getting this back open and available for golfers and non-golfers alike.

These plans are part of an investment strategy for the course that is currently going through Council processes.

We carried out a baseline parent and carer survey in 2019 to monitor experience, involvement and satisfaction around the key areas of Education, Health, Social Care, information provision and on how the system is working together. The SEND Continuous Improvement Board  wanted to do a short survey to capture opinion and to see if there has been any improvement.  We carried out this survey in September 2020.

In summary, parents and carers said:

• The SEND support pathway isn't clear to us
• Diagnosis and timescales to support takes too long
• That mainstream schools are not always inclusive
• The short breaks offer is not easy to understand or access
• That there is an improvement in the way health, education, social care and the SEN Casework team are working together to help and support them but coordination and communication between professionals could be further improved
• You feel that there is some improvement in parents and carers are being listened to in the development and review of their child/young person’s EHCP

In summary, here are some of the things we have done/are doing:

• Strengthened the SEND Casework team with £400k additional investment into the service
• Strengthened SENDIASS through additional funding from Council and CCG and additional staffing to support families to navigate complex services
• Preparing for Adulthood (PfA) workshops delivered and feedback fed into the Preparing for Adulthood Guide which has been co-produced with parents, carers and young people.
• Implemented a new appointment system at Alder Hey which is more user friendly and has led to fewer cancellations
• Improvements to the prescribing system at Alder Hey to make it easier for families to re-order medications.
• Leaflet to be given to parents at start of pathway process to be reviewed and co-produced with parents / carers. ASD Post Diagnostic Feedback Booklet & Advisory Session Booklet have already been done and approved Jan 2021
• Started to develop an Education Strategy with Inclusion as one of its key priorities
• Inclusion task group established reporting into the SEN School Forum
• Shared the parent and carer feedback with our teams and directed professionals to offer a person-centred approach when communicating with parents and carers
• We have established reviews of both the Aiming High short breaks offer and the Springbrook overnight respite offer
• Casework Officers now share mobile phone numbers when they first contact families which has improved communication

Please see the published results section for a more detailed You Said/We Did/Are Doing