Bring in businesses to discuss neighbourhood plan, urges former MP

Cllr. John Pugh is to urge Sefton Council to re-think their approach to the newly designated “Liveable Streets Area” next to the town centre.
His plea is to speak to local businesses sooner not later.

The Sefton plan is to make a huge block of roads from Cemetery Rd down to Lord St – no through roads ,obliging all traffic to travel round the area on the major roads.

Right at the heart of it though is Shakespeare St.
” I fear “, says Cllr Pugh,” that the planners of the scheme may think that the Shakespeare St area is just a local shopping precinct and not a hive of economic activity offering a host of specialist shops and employment to hundreds. It’s described on the plans simply as a “local centre” and the view appears to be that those who use it can all walk there.”

If any new scheme is to work. we cannot undermine one of our few economically vibrant areas. We desperately need jobs and businesses as well as clean air and less traffic. Ghost towns have very few traffic problems.”

“The consultation on the scheme is beginning already this week involving schools across Southport but unusually there is no fixed date for consulting with local businesses. I don’t understand that order of priorities.
If it it is to work engagement with local businesses and their employees must be first base, but the council wants to deliberate later about how to consult them.

That’s only going to create the impression or the suspicion that the economic vitality of an area like Shakespeare St is an after-thought. It’s a recipe for unnecessary confrontation.”