A LEADING Labour councillor has hit back at Conservatives for being “misleading in the extreme” over their opposition to cycle lanes.
Labour councillor Liz Grey argued without a clear vision, it was “easier for the naysayers to spread rumours and misinformation that might alarm residents” and Wirral Council needed to do better at engaging in the public by reaching out to different groups. However, Conservatives have said there is no evidence people without a car want to travel by bike and the council “needs to provide evidence of likely demand” for any new scheme.
Last week, Labour, Green and Liberal Democrat councillors made a controversial decision to move ahead with an outline plan for 28 new cycle lanes and improved walking routes across the borough. Wirral Council said it had shifted the priority of some plans “to reflect concerns raised” and the routes will be subject to further review, surveys, technical work, and public feedback.
12 routes are planned to be delivered in the next seven years around Birkenhead with funding for these schemes bid for from £1.6bn of Liverpool City Region Combined Authority grants, not directly from Wirral Council’s budget. Nearly 64% of those surveyed were against the proposals with strong opposition in Wallasey following a Conservative-led campaign.
Despite intense public criticism, some studies do suggest walking and cycling schemes could have some positive benefits. A 2018 report by walking charity Living Streets suggested making an area more pedestrian friendly can increase footfall by 30% while a Department for Transport study from 2015 suggested for every £1 spent on walking and cycling, £13 of benefit was created for the economy.
It has been disputed by Conservative councillors if statistics for areas like London have any relevance to the Wirral arguing schemes like Fender Lane have caused traffic jams while sitting empty and unused. Businesses have previously told the LDRS they were concerned elderly people or those less able might struggle to visit shops if they weren’t able to park close by.
Cllr Grey, who chairs the committee that made the decision, told the LDRS she was concerned Wallasey councillor Ian Lewis in particular was pushing a narrative of near total opposition. 44.5% of respondents to a recent council survey were from Wallasey, where she said his “cycle chaos” campaign has been “repeatedly pushed for years now.”
She added: “If he puts that much time and effort into telling people that they will lose parking spaces and be inconvenienced by cycle lanes, then many will believe him and his negativity, even if incorrect, will gain traction. The fact that so few people responded negatively elsewhere and in fact many of the routes had a majority in favour means that the claim that a majority of residents oppose the network is misleading in the extreme.”
While the council survey found all seven schemes in the wider Wallasey area faced significant opposition, people were in favour of ten routes elsewhere in the borough while another in Birkenhead was split 50/50. Ten schemes outside of Wallasey were opposed by people who filled out the survey.
Cllr Grey said Liverpool City Region Combined Authority research showed over two thirds of Wirral residents want more and better cycle infrastructure, adding: “The biggest mistake we can make is to ignore the silent majority and back the aggressive, vocal minority especially when that minority represents a very narrow demographic.”
She said politicians should “engage in constructive criticism of any routes that may concern their residents and to take time to work with officers to help shape these plans.” However, she agreed the council needed better going forward as very few young adults, children or those with disabilities had given their views.
She added: “Children and young adults in particular represent those with the greatest stake in the future and those who pay the highest price long term if we make mistakes now and fail to build a decent future Wirral for them to inherit. I think most people fail to engage with consultations because we don’t share our vision for the future very well.
“In the absence of a clear strategic vision, it is easier for the naysayers to spread rumours and misinformation that might alarm residents, for example telling people that ambulances will be held up or unable to access GP surgeries because of bollards when there are no plans for this.
“What is our vision? What are we trying to create? A cleaner, safer borough, with happier, healthier residents who can live, work and play without road danger and air pollution, two of the biggest killers in Merseyside.”
In response, Cllr Ian Lewis said Cllr Grey was “clearly rattled” the plans “have not been welcomed with open arms by residents and businesses” but offered to meet with her. He added: “I am very grateful to all those residents and businesses in Wallasey Ward who responded to the consultation highlighting 94% opposition to the route through Liscard and Wallasey.
“I can’t answer for the other areas. If Cllr Grey is unhappy that Labour Councillors in Liscard, New Brighton or Upton did not work to encourage residents there to take part, she should take that up with them.
“At the meeting, Councillor Grey and many of her colleagues failed to win over residents and when challenged could not demonstrate any evidence of demand for these cycle routes. Equally, there is no indication where the money is coming from and the Council has no data to confirm the success or otherwise of routes already installed such as Harrison Drive and Fender Lane.
“The consultation was organised at the instruction of the committee Cllr Grey chairs. If she’s unhappy with the results, then I’m afraid she has nobody else to blame. Councillors in Wallasey and Moreton asked for ‘in person’ events to be held to enable more people to take part. The Council rejected those requests.
“However I’m glad Councillor Grey has at last recognised that consultation so far has been a shambles. It’s just a pity she didn’t listen to those concerns before she voted for the scheme.”
Cllr Grey said she was not remotely rattled as the network was “voted through with such strong cross party support,” adding: “This was despite the crowd of people that had been brought along by the three Conservatives who refuse to support our calls for a cleaner, safer Wirral served by better active travel infrastructure.
“It is a fact that there are Conservatives who understand the importance of promoting active travel but it is a sad fact for us that none of them seem to be councillors here.”
