Press release
Country park saved as government scraps unpopular road
Campaigners and communities surrounding Rimrose Valley Country Park [1] in South Sefton are hailing the decision to cancel a dual carriageway, which would have destroyed much of the park, as a victory for community action.
The announcement was contained in the Chancellor’s full Autumn Budget statement [2] which reads:
“As part of the government’s commitment to growth, it will take difficult decisions where there is not a clear value for money case to invest. After a review the Transport Secretary has decided not to progress with the following unfunded and unaffordable road schemes on the strategic road network: A5036 Princess Way…”
Save Rimrose Valley [3] has campaigned to save the park from National Highways’ controversial A5036 Port of Liverpool Access Road [4] since it was announced in 2017. It has long-called for better solutions to port access to be developed instead, including increasing rail freight capacity and innovative freight logistics technology.
Public support for the campaign went from strength to strength, with thousands of members of the public attending protests and demonstrations in opposition to the plans. The campaign also received support from the local authority, Sefton Council, both constituency MPs – Bootle’s Peter Dowd and Sefton Central’s Bill Esterson, as well as Metro Mayor, Steve Rotheram, who backed their calls for better alternatives to be put forward.
Speaking in response to the announcement, campaign co-ordinator Stuart Bennett said:
“Today’s outcome is the culmination of 7 years’ hard work, community action and vindication that what we’ve been saying all along, is correct. The road proposal was the wrong ‘solution’, which would have destroyed the last green space of its kind in what is already a heavily urbanised and polluted part of Liverpool. The fact that it was ever on the table is a disgrace and National Highways has serious questions to answer.
“Our campaign is incredibly proud that, by uniting as a community, standing up for ourselves, and working with our local and regional politicians, we were able to slam the brakes on these plans and force the government to think again. We would like to thank them for listening to us and for proving that democracy is alive and well.
“At the same time, we recognise that the cancellation of the road does nothing to solve the ongoing issues created by the Port of Liverpool’s operations and its impact on our everyday lives. This is why we’ll continue to fight for better, sustainable solutions to port access, just as we have done throughout our campaign. We will work with neighbouring communities to achieve this through our role as part of the South Sefton Communities Alliance [5].
“As for the future of the park, our campaign has been organised by the charity Rimrose Valley Friends, which was formed to promote, protect and enhance this amazing piece of green space. Today’s announcement means that we can finally devote 100% of our time and energy to achieving these goals, without the worry of the bulldozers moving in. We have great plans for enhancing the park and firmly believe we can have a huge, positive impact on the lives of people in the surrounding communities and beyond. For the first time in almost a decade, the future looks bright.”
ENDS
Notes to Editors:
[1] Rimrose Valley Country Park in north Liverpool: www.rimrosevalleyfriends.org
[2] Announcement is contained in the Department for Transport’s section of the Chancellor’s full budget statement, Section 4.73:
[3] Save Rimrose Valley campaign:
[4] Project page for A5036 Port of Liverpool Access Scheme:
[5] The South Sefton Communities Alliance is calling for improved quality of life in the area, including in relation to issues around port access:
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