Wirral councillors met to vote on planned regeneration works for Bebington Road in New Ferry, being presented with three options for how the pedestrianised road could look.
Despite 83% of the public favouring one of three available options, councillors voted to go ahead with a cheaper alternative. Many members of the public ensured their voices were heard during a fiery and passionate meeting in Wallasey Town Hall.
New Ferry has struggled since the gas explosion
Almost a decade ago a major gas explosion changed the face of the Wirral town of New Ferry. Ever since, the town has struggled to recover from the 2017 blast caused by Pascal Blasio tampering with a gas valve in his failing furniture store.
After the town was also hit hard by covid lockdowns and the national trend of high street struggles, Wirral Council has decided it is time to invest in New Ferry, with £5.5m of improvements planned for Bebington Road.
A public consultation voted for option 1, council decides on cheaper option
Ahead of the vote, the council’s Environment, Climate Emergency, and Transport Committee was presented with the three options for how to regenerate the struggling Merseyside town. The committee heard a public consultation showed overwhelming support for option one, which included bespoke, premium materials.
Despite obvious public support for option one, a report to the committee recommended councillors went with option two, a cheaper scheme which uses more standard materials. The main difference between the schemes was the proposed flooring materials. Option one uses bespoke tiles, similar to the ones used on Grange Road, Birkenhead while option two uses coloured tarmac, as seen on West Kirby’s promenade.
A number of New Ferry locals attended the meeting, hoping to persuade councillors that option one represented a strong investment in the town’s future. Various locals spoke during the public questions and statements part of the meeting, all in favour of option one.
Asked to choose between investing in excellence or accepting compromise
Christopher Lee Power told the committee:
“We are being asked to make a choice. Not between good and bad. But between investing in excellence or accepting compromise.
To me, choosing one of the cutback options is like commissioning a beautiful piece of art, then deciding halfway through to finish it with the cheapest materials available. The shape may still be there, but the quality, the beauty and the impact are lost. We are passing the cost on to future generations.”
Mark Anthony Craig, the chair of the New Ferry Residents’ Association, said:
“The community has spoken. It’s New Ferry’s turn to have the high quality scheme.”
Shame!
Following the public questions element of the meeting, residents were repeatedly asked to remain quiet as shouts of “shame” and “we’ve waited too long for some painted tarmac” came from the back of the room.
Cllr Jo Bird, who represents the area as a Green Party councillor, thanked residents for coming out in support of their town. She backed the more premium option saying it would be the “last piece of the jigsaw” for the town’s regeneration efforts.
As the more premium option one would take longer to construct, lengthening the period of disruption, Cllr Ann Ainsworth (Labour, Pensby and Thingwall ward) raised concerns for local businesses that may struggle during this period.
She added:
“We do have to be mindful as councillors that every pound we spend is appropriate. We have to take fiscal responsibility.”
What was the point of a consultation?
Despite the efforts of Cllr Bird and others, the committee ultimately voted in line with officers’ recommendations and backed option two.
As the group of New Ferry locals left the chamber, shouts of “shame on you” and “why even have a consultation?” echoed throughout the room.
The now approved option two includes new coloured tarmac being laid along the pedestrianised section of Bebington Road. The scheme will also include new trees being planted along the street, with new benches and bins also included in the plans. New cycle parking stations will be placed along the enhanced pedestrian zone, which, it is said, could welcome market stalls.
By Local Democracy Reporter Andrew Spence
