Have your say on next steps for active travel in Liverpool

Liverpool City Council has launched a public consultation to inform how and where the city invests in new infrastructure that will encourage people to walk and cycle more often.  

The two week online consultation is primarily aimed at enabling the Council, which is currently investing £11m in three new cycle lanes, to develop an accessible and connected cycling and walking route network.

The public are being invited to study and provide opinions on a series of five maps which outline areas in greatest need for new facilities which would benefit and improve the city’s existing active travel offer, as well as support the Council’s climate change commitment to achieve carbon net zero status.

The public can also make recommendations for alternative locations where they feel investment would be best directed.

Alongside an online form to fill in, people can also send additional comments via email to: Active.Travel@liverpool.gov.uk

The proposed networks in the consultation have been based on analysis of where people want to travel to and from, and through discussions with key active travel groups in the city. They include:

•             Strategic cycle routes – main routes linking Liverpool with the wider city region.

•             Primary cycle routes – key links so people can get around the Liverpool city area.

•             Core walking zones – local retail areas and other key sites such as hospitals, where there will be lots of people walking within the area.

•             Key walking links – direct walking routes linking core walking zones together.

For this consultation, people are being asked for views on the shape and extent of the proposed walking and cycling network only. There will be opportunities in the future to share views on the actual detail and type of interventions that could be implemented on the proposed routes.

Feedback from the consultation, which ends on Monday, 13 November, will be used to help shape a final report due in January 2024 for the adoption of what is called a Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plan (LCWIP).

The LCWIP, which is being funded by the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority, is a key element of Mayor Steve Rotheram’s plans to create a 600km network of new and upgraded cycling and walking routes across the wider region.

This plan will ensure the Council has a long-term approach to develop and improve those networks. It also comes just weeks after the Council adopted its Transport Plan for the next four years, which highlighted the role and importance of the LCWIP.

Liverpool City Council, which has just completed the biggest upgrade to the Liverpool Loop Line in 20 years and opened the north of England’s biggest learn to ride facility in Everton Park, also recently identified the scale of opportunity for increasing active travel.

New data has revealed that 66% of all trips on Merseyside are less than 3 miles in length, half of which are undertaken by car.

As well as addressing this issue Liverpool’s Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plan (LCWIP) is also being developed in parallel with the City Centre Mobility Strategy which is being devised to improve connectivity and accessibility for tens of thousands of people every day.

Councillor Dan Barrington, Liverpool City Council’s Cabinet member for Transport and Connectivity, said: “As a city, it is our ambition to make cycling, walking and wheeling the natural choice for everyday short journeys.

“An increase in cycling, walking and wheeling across Liverpool would help to promote health and mental wellbeing, reduce emissions and improve the air we breathe.

“By working with the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority we can achieve much of this work, but we need the public to help provided us with the feedback on the ground to help us identify where’s best to invest and what will deliver the greatest impact.

“This Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plan is a key element in our journey to achieving our active travel and climate change goals and I hope everyone takes the time to give us their views to ensure we have the best possible chance of attracting funding to deliver the improvements we need to make.”

Simon O’Brien, Liverpool City Region’s Active Travel Commissioner, said: “If you will forgive the pun, Liverpool is truly at a crossroads with regard to the future of how we move around our city. “I feel very excited about the new positive approach of the Council supported by the Combined Authority. I have seen elsewhere that if you give people proper alternatives then they will happily switch from car to bike, foot, train and bus for those shorter journeys. Let’s all get on board with this vision.”