The long-delayed consultation on Fender Lane cycle route has been pushed back again by the Town Hall.
In March, the Director of Neighbourhood Services, Jason Gooding, wrote to councillors promising that it would take place in July.
This would also include an ‘evidence-based evaluation’ that reviewed the data and information collated for each scheme, including traffic data, cycle activity and public feedback via a council-run consultation.
Two months later, it was revealed that vital data on how the lane was being used had been lost after two sensors which had been attached to street lights as part of the £204,000 scheme failed after power was cut.
Now, after further enquiries from Councillors, the Town Hall has revealed the evaluation won’t happen until October.
Councillor Gary Bennett (Conservative, Moreton West and Saughall Massie) said: “Is the Town Hall running scared? It seems the last thing they want is the hard evidence that this route, like many others, has been a complete flop.
“Delaying the survey and consultation yet again smacks of desperation. If those behind this fiasco are hoping for a miracle before the evaluation, with a sudden influx of cyclists using this route, day in, day out, then they will be disappointed.”
Fender Lane, connecting Hoylake Road, Moreton to the Bidston roundabout was selected by the council for ‘active travel’ but quickly led to protests from residents and other road users about delays and congestions caused by the imposition of cycle lanes on both sides of the busy dual carriageway.
Criticisms have included the decision to install cycle lanes on both sides of the dual carriageway, reducing vehicle access by 50%.
In January 2021, a legally-required Equality Impact Assessment was carried out by the Council and recognised the disruption it would cause to road users stating ‘Journey times of all users will increase as a result of the introduction of a cycle lane/loss of one lane for vehicular traffic.’
