Port of Liverpool Access Scheme
By Aleksandra Smirnova and photos By Arida Balciunaite

ON Tuesday, 24, January 2017, a meeting was held at 'Park Hotel' in Netherton, to introduce a new 'by-pass' project, the 'A5036' Port of Liverpool Access Road, within the South Sefton area of Merseyside and run by 'Highways England.'

Local people and others who are generally interested in or affected by this project were also given a chance to speak out about their views on the 2 options being put forward.

The meeting we attended was the 1st of 5, Public exhibitions, which are taking place. The events still to go are will be held on:-

► Monday, 30 January 2017, from 10am to 5pm, at PlayFootball, on Drummond Road, Crosby, L23 9YP.

► Wednesday, 1 February 2017, from 3pm to 8pm, at the Litherland Royal British Legion, on Orrell Road, Litherland, L21 8NU.

► Saturday, 4 February 2017, from 11am to 5pm, at SING Plus Centre Cambridge Road, Seaforth, L21 1EX

Within the meeting we attended, public were provided with a survey and lots of information about the 2 options being given for the project. They are referred to as Option A and Option B. This same format is being used at the other meetings, including the 1 that took place on Friday, 27 February, at St Faith's Church Hall.

A quick over view of both options:-

Option A

This Option is being presented, offering to improve the original and already existing bypass, this would be done by "upgrading the existing A5036 by providing 4 grade separated junctions at Hawthorne Road, Netherton Way, Park Lane and Copy Lane." However, this would impact the local residents and others, like suppliers; primarily because more traffic and added pollution would be produced. However, also there can be positives to option A, for example improving and delivering can be achieved more quickly, so the project can be completed in a shorter amount of time. Lastly, this option again will take away a smaller area of green belt land rather than option B. It would allow the local residents to cross the road at fewer areas but more crossings would be introduced which would make the bypass a lot safer for the local residents.

Option B

This option has been introduced offering a alternative solution; a new dual carriageway bypass through the Rimrose Valley. This option would use Broom's Cross Road, to Switch Island and would take up a lot of green belt land, as it would run through the Centre of Rimrose Valley. This means that this option is going to be a lot more costly and take a long time to be built. Again the disadvantage of this is, that in the area, there would be seen a lot more pollution as well as less nature. However to this option there are also advantages like a faster trade and an easier way of transportation of goods.

In relation to journey times and traffic congestion:-

Option A, would reduce congestion however the journeys might take longer and the A5036 would remain a very busy road with increased port trafficking. However option B would dramatically reduce traffic on the existing bypass and would improve the journey times on both the A5036 and the bypass. Air quality within option A would not be affected as there would be no impact.

Option B, the A5036 would be affected positively as it would improve the quality of air there; whereas residents that live alongside Rimrose Valley would experience a poorer quality of air. Within Option A ,noise levels would be unlikely to increase as the traffic would not change as the same types of vehicles already use that route. Option B would reduce the noise on the already existing road A5036 while increasing the noise within the quiet Rimrose Valley. However, to reduce this, Highways England is offering to propose a number of measures either side of the bypass including noise and landscape barriers.

For more information please visit:- Highways.Gov.UK/Roads/Road-Projects/A5036-Port-Of-Liverpool-Access.


More information can be also obtained by our video interview located on YouTube channel…

Please also let us have your views on this controversial scheme, via emailing us to:- News24@SouthportReporter.com.