The Port of Liverpool is a huge economic driver for Sefton, the Liverpool City Region and the North West. The opportunities for increased global trade via the port are clear and this will lead to more jobs and prosperity for local people.
However, there is no escaping the increased volumes of traffic that such economic activity brings to the area and the pressures this places on local people and our environment. The Port of Liverpool Access Road Proposal seeks to address this.
We all want to see our green spaces protected and available for all to use and enjoy.
Equally, we in Sefton Conservatives also feel it is important to stand up for residents directly affected by air and noise pollution along the current route (Dunnings Bridge Road/Church Road). Their campaign for improved quality of life and wellbeing is, in some respects, becoming lost in the campaign to protect Rimrose Valley, both causes are equally important.
As someone who grew up in the area and attended a local school I know how much of an impact that the high volumes of traffic can have on the lives of local people.
Our preference would be for an alternative plan to be put forward that protects Rimrose Valley and reduces traffic volumes on the existing route for local residents, this could include freight moving by rail or the use of road tunnels.
The current proposal is the only one on the table at present and we are not aware of any alternatives put forward by Labour or any other political party. It is easy to criticise but much more difficult to offer up solutions.
We want to see a solution that protects our green spaces and benefits residents and we await the outcome of the further traffic impact assessments and public consultation.
