PRESS RELEASE
Issued by:
Councillor Tom Harney
Date of Issue: April 15th 2008
Contact numbers:
0151 327 2146
07890 280074

INVOLVING PEOPLE IN MAKING WIRRAL'S STREETS SAFER

Wirral's increasingly busy thoroughfares could soon be under scrutiny from its pedestrians.

A local councillor is calling for the borough's streets to be ‘audited' by people with mobility problems.

Liberal Democrat Councillor Tom Harney, who represents Eastham Ward says,

“ Many people with mobility problems face difficulties in crossing our busy streets while going about their normal daily business.

“Those affected have a vital role to play in identifying barriers in getting to doctors' surgeries, shops, bus stops and so on.”

“Traffic priorities have taken over the needs of pedestrians in some areas, restricting the freedom of people who are less mobile.

“This is about reclaiming our streets for everyone to use.”

Councillor Harney wants the Council to look at enlisting the help of organisations such as ‘ Living Streets' to carry out the audits, with Wirral's Older People's Parliament playing a coordinating role.

Living St reet s was founded in 1929 as the Pedestrians' Association and has a long history of achievements behind it including: the introduction of the driving test; 30mph urban speed limits; and pedestrian crossings. It also helped write the first Highway Code.

Councillor Harney's proposals will be discussed at Wirral's Full Council Meeting on 21 April. ENDS

Click here for the ‘Living Streets' website

Notice of Motion:
INVOLVING PEOPLE IN MAKING STREETS SAFER

Council recognises the difficulties faced by many people who have mobility problems in getting across our busy streets while going about their daily business.

It believes that those affected have a vital role to play in identifying barriers in getting to surgeries, shops, bus stops and so on. It recognises the work being done by organisations such as Living Streets in training people in carrying out audits of the roads in their areas; these identify the problems that people face in travelling safely on foot.

Council resolves to invite the Older People's Parliament to discuss ways in which older people can be involved in drawing up local plans to inform the ongoing work of the Council.

It instructs officers to contact Living Streets and other organisations with similar aims to find what advice can be made available to take forward this work, and report back to the Streetscene and Transport Services Overview and Scrutiny Committee on June 5 2008.

Moved by: Councillor Tom Harney
Seconded by: Councillor Patricia Williams