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An attempt to save a country park slated for the route of a locally controversial new access road to the Port of Liverpool has seen what campaigners are calling a “significant milestone”.
MP for Bootle Peter Dowd has brought the ongoing debate to parliament to look for alternatives to the National Highways’ proposed A5036 Port of Liverpool Access Scheme.
The £250M scheme has been subject to much scrutiny as it involves building a dual carriageway down the middle of the 3.5km Rimrose Valley country park to link the motorway network at Switch Island to the port.
Dowd told Parliament: “We must look at alternatives to this scheme; listening to councillors, MPs, the metropolitan mayor and local residents.
“We need a government that’s committed to an integrated and innovative transport strategy.”
Former transport minister MP Karl McCartney responded on behalf of the government saying that National Highways is “helping the city region to develop [its] local transport plan” and the access road is important for economic growth.
Responding to the questions around the need for the scheme, a National Highways spokesperson said: “This scheme is an important investment in the strategic road network and economy of the city region and wider North West.
“The existing route between the Port of Liverpool and the motorway network is heavily congested with issues including noise and pollution for local residents who live right next to the road, and unreliable journeys for businesses, commuters and other road users which acts as a brake on the economic ambitions of the city region.
“National Highways remains committed to working with the local community and wider stakeholders to ensure their views are taken into account and they get to have their say on our plans.”
The DfT also defended the aims of the project. A DfT spokesperson told NCE: “This scheme is a key part of our Road Investment Strategy and work is ongoing to assess how the proposal will affect traffic on and around the A5036.
“It will be subject to public consultation and a full planning process prior to any decision being made. Considerations will include commuting levels since the pandemic, local employment rates and trends in trade patterns.”
Nonetheless, campaign group Save Rimrose Valley said it had worked hard to get the debate to Westminster and that “the reason this is so important is that, ultimately, this is where the fate of Rimrose Valley, the surrounding communities and this road proposal will be decided”.
The group, along with Liverpool City Region mayor Steve Rotheram, want National Highways to look into sustainable solutions in line with the region’s efforts to tackle the climate emergency.
This includes protecting public health and green spaces and investing more into Northern Powerhouse Rail to reduce reliance on road haulage.
Pioneering underground freight transport technology is one of Save Rimrose Valley’s proposals for a zero emissions alternative to the road.
As well as the controversial route, both National Highways and the DfT have come under fire from campaigners for the lack of transparency.
Earlier this year, the campaign group accused the Department for Transport of “actively obstructing” the exploration of alternative solutions to the road.
The scheme was also subject to controversy in April 2021, when emails were released showing the National Highways (then Highways England) had looked for ways to circumvent the Freedom of Information process when asked for environmental information related to the project.
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