Consultation is set to begin on the introduction of Red Routes to speed up traffic flow on three key roads in Liverpool.
Red routes – first introduced in London in 1991 and also used in the West Midlands and Stoke on Trent – are major roads on which vehicles are not permitted to stop, including loading and unloading. They are generally in operation from 7am – 7pm on Monday to Saturday, although round the clock restrictions usually apply near traffic lights and at bus stops. Blue Badge holders and licensed taxis can still pick up and drop off.
A report to the city council on Friday 15 December is asking for permission to begin a feasibility study into their introduction on the following routes:
• Kensington/Prescot Road
• Smithdown Road
• A59 County Road/Walton Road
The roads have been chosen to be looked at because they are known to have congestion caused by inconsiderate and illegal parking, which creates pinch points and leads to snarl ups.
Deputy Mayor, Cllr Ann O’Byrne, said: “Every driver gets frustrated by other road users who show no consideration for others by stopping on major routes or parking half on the pavement, causing inconvenience for pedestrians as well. It leads to inconvenience, congestion, delays and increases pollution because cars are stationary when they should be moving.
“At a time when we are investing £250 million upgrading major routes across the city, it is vital we complement this work by ensuring we have a free flowing traffic network able to operate at maximum capacity.
“As we continue to rebuild our city for the 21st century, attracting more investment, jobs and people, we have to make sure road users can get across the city as quickly and easily as possible. Delays to journeys cost businesses and commuters both time and money.
“We believe that the introduction of Red Routes could help ensure a smoother journey – but we want to hear all views during the consultation period. This is just something are looking in to at this stage. I promise we will listen carefully to feedback and look to put into place measures which mitigate any impact on local businesses if we decide to push ahead with one or all of the routes.”
If Red Routes are introduced, they would replace all existing yellow line and clearway restrictions and be enforced using the existing traffic cameras, which were previously used for the bus lanes that were withdrawn in 2014. The council could also look at the potential of towing vehicles away, which it does not do at the moment.
If approved by the Cabinet, a consultation will get underway which will include community events, an online survey and letters to people whose properties front the affected routes.
