UPDATE: Maintenance and Health & Safety of the A5036

Earlier in the year, we shared an update from our second meeting with National Highways and Sefton Council in relation to conditions along this route.

For a reminder of that meeting, which gives the background to this one, head here.

We waited until work on the Park Lane junction was complete before meeting again, and sharing a fresh update, so here goes!

The meeting took place on Tuesday 14th July minutes can be found at the foot of this page.

Representation

Again, we had representation for the following residential sections of the A5036, after an invitation for people to contribute in January of last year.

• Princess Way - Seaforth Village Friends

• Dunnings Bridge Road - Local Residents, including a residents' association

We would welcome approaches from any Church Road residents' groups interested in working positively and constructively with us, National Highways and Sefton Council. Please email info@southseftonalliance.org

Accountability

• National Highways were represented by their Route Manager for Cheshire and Merseyside

• Sefton Council were represented by Executive Director for Operations & Partnerships

National Highways Presentation

National Highways' Route Manager began by updating us on plans for circa £27m of investment in maintenance work for the entire A5036 route – from Princess Way up to and including Switch Island, over a 5 year period.

This figure includes the roughly £7m currently being spent on improvements to the Park Lane Junction and other improvements including the completed Switch Island Safety scheme and other pieces of work.

You can view it here by downloading this PDF:

A5036 Community Groups Meeting 140726.pdf

Download PDF • 1.35MB

Key Points

The key updates since last time were:

• An update on the ongoing resurfacing scheme at Switch Island

• An update on the remaining works at the new Park Lane junction

• Confirmation of the following works proposed for the A5036 itself:

  • Noise-reducing resurfacing

  • Drainage renewals

  • Traffic signals replacements at Hawthorne, Kirkstone and Copy Lane junctions

The combined objectives of these works are to reduce congestion and delays, reduce environmental impacts, identify opportunities to reduce future maintenance and recurring repairs and to maximise road space and improve the appearance of the route.

• The results of the walked surveys of the entire route identified a list of 130 defects / improvements, including:

  • Replace / relocate Traffic Signs

  • Pedestrian Guard Rail

  • Overburden

  • Metalwork

  • Fencing

  • Dropped kerbs

  • Illegal / HGV parking

  • 4 subways in need of attention: School Lane, Sefton Street, Beach Road, Rawson road

    
    

We specifically covered the issue of weeds along the route, which is a common complaint.

National Highways have moved one of the weed spraying sessions from winter to growing season, with the next one due this month. Uniquely, there will now be spraying 4 times/year which is over and above their regular treatment. Sefton Council confirmed that it too is now spraying 4 times/year across its own road network. The removal of the weeds (and the litter they collect) is complicated by the positioning of pedestrian barriers, as this determines whether road closures (and the costs associated with this) are required, but both organisations are working together to address this.

They will be part of a programme of works for the next 5 year road investment period 2026/27 to 2030/31, which is great news.

Section-specific queries

We then covered issues relating to the individual, residential sections of the route, as follows.

Dunnings Bridge Road, including new Park Lane Junction

• Residents communicated they still disagreed with decision not to replace the footbridge at Park Lane junction

• Expressed concerns about seeing lots of pupils/parents stood in central reservation of the new crossing. They flagged that there should be a School Crossing Patrol on Park Lane and that local Cllr Joe Johnson is pushing for this

• Sefton Council flagged a shortage of people applying for school crossing patrol positions. Residents suggested engaging with schools to see if family/friends would put themselves forward

• Residents asked when will all signage and sandbags will be removed? National Highways will ensure this happens, they are reliant on the contractor

• Will the old church grounds still be used a depot for all Switch Island works? National Highways have since confirmed 'no'.

• Once works are complete will the old church grounds be blocked off again to prevent illegal camping/antisocial behaviour? National Highways have since confirmed 'yes' and the entrance will be swept

• Residents flagged that the new double-yellow lines don't continue / finish correctly onto Park Lane. National Highways have since advised that lines on Park Lane are the responsibility of Sefton Council.

• Residents acknowledged some improvements resulting from the new layout - less people jumping barriers and dedicated turn lanes

• Aesthetics also look good - 'succulents' used in verges/central reservation have been chosen to prevent/limit weed growth

• Residents repeated that, if this is best in class, shouldn't all junctions be done to the same standard?

• National Highways advised there is currently no funding for this in the programme of works outlined above

Impact of Park Lane Junction works on surrounding roads

• Residents highlighted the damage that the HGV traffic supporting these works - as well as diverted, regular HGV traffic - has had on surrounding roads, which are unsuitable for HGVs

• It was flagged that HGVs have got used to using Buckley Hill, Gorsey Lane, Sefton Road Northern Perimeter Road, Moor Lane, A565 as a diversion from the A5036

• Flagged concerns that this will be the new normal as it is unsafe.

• Asked who is responsible for the damage which has been done to the road? Will there will be an audit of the damage caused by this heavy traffic resulting from the road works? And, can a message be communicated to haulage companies to no longer use diverted routes now road is reopened?

• Sefton Council advised that any damage will be identified as part of Sefton Council's own route audit. They felt it would be difficult to secure recompense from National Highways for any remedial works required, but will ask the question. Some advisory signage may be possible to deter HGVs from using these smaller roads and this will be followed up.

Princess Way

• Again highlighted the importance of the Rawson Road subway and pleased to see that work is planned on all subways along the route

• Repeated a request for improved signage to address regular misuse and driver error, incorrectly accessing Rawson Road from the A5036

Church Road

In the absence of participants from Church Road, we again referenced a document highlighting residents' concerns and covered:

Noise pollution

• We established that sections of the A5036 are still classified as "Noise Important Areas" or NIAs.

• This means that residents may qualify for mitigation measures, such as new glazing.

• We have contacted the relevant department of National Highways, asking them to confirm that these sections fall within their criteria.

• For more information on both, follow these links:

  http://www.extrium.co.uk/noiseviewer.html

  And

  https://nationalhighways.co.uk/our-work/environment/communities/noise/noise-insulation-scheme

• In the interim, National Highways has provided the information in the attached:

Noise SSCA.pdf

Download PDF • 146KB

The document highlights that some of the work mentioned previously is specifically intended to improve noise levels emanating from the A5036 route, namely:

• The replacement of fencing and noise attenuation features that are in need of repair

• Resurfacing of the A5036 using Thin Surface Course Treatment (TSCT)

• Surveys of manholes and other ironwork 

Air quality

• Residents repeated a request for better monitoring of - and action on - air quality

• They flagged the route's proximity to schools, nurseries and care homes - i.e. the people most vulnerable to air pollution; the old and the young

• We learned that Council Officer with responsibility for this has recently retired. Sefton Council took away an action to follow up on air quality monitoring along the route

Safety (and air quality)

• We repeated the idea of exploring a reduced speed limit from 40mph to 30mph, either alongside residential / school sections, or the entire route to improve both safety and air quality - highlighting that the difference in journey time would be negligible

• National Highways are open to this and it can form part of its ongoing safety review

• We (SSCA) will do a simple online poll to gauge opinion on this

Conclusions

This felt like another positive and productive meeting, and we believe things are heading in the right direction.

There appears to be a genuine commitment from both National Highways and Sefton Council to improve conditions along the route.

Most importantly, this process is giving communities a voice and a 'seat at the table' on issues regarding the A5036, which is something we've not had before.

Yes, we want things to happen as soon as possible. However, wheels turn slowly in both National Highways and Local Authorities.

By continuing to meet each quarter, we hope to be able to keep everyone on track and to share updates like these.

Download Meeting Minutes here:

20260714 SSCA-NationalHighways Meeting MinutesFINAL.pdf

Download PDF • 222KB