Child could be killed without pedestrian bridge, residents fear

People living near one of Merseyside’s busiest roads have told of their worries that a child could be killed after a decision not to replace a pedestrian bridge.

The footbridge across the A5036 Dunnings Bridge Road in Netherton, Sefton, was demolished in 2022 after being hit by a lorry.

Plans are being discussed for a pedestrian crossing on the four-way junction but many residents feel a new footbridge would be safer.

National Highways said it will not replace the footbridge due to cost and regulations relating to land space.

On resident, Gillian Bates, said she fears for the safety of pupils who go to a nearby school who will have to use the crossing.

She said decision-makers had “no idea” what it is like to live alongside the dual carriageway which HGVs “thunder down in their hundreds every day”.

She said: “Kids might see a green light on one side, and think ‘we can just go’, but there won’t be enough room for them to make it to the middle before the lights change again.

“You’ve got mums with prams, with two kids trying to manoeuvre.

“I don’t think it’s going to be wide enough or big enough.

“Unless you live on it or you have to cross it, nobody understands it.”

She added nothing she had seen at a planning consultation event hosted by National Highways had changed her mind.

She said: “I like the idea of it all looking nicer and neater, but it’s the safety aspect. I hope and pray that nothing does happen that’s fatal.”

Bootle MP Peter Dowd has vowed to continue to fight for a bridge and wants the issue debated in Parliament.

He said: “The bridge has been there for as long as anyone can remember and there’s no reason why it shouldn’t have another one.”

Dowd said the road is important because it connects the Port of Liverpool with the motorway network and the four-way junction also bisects a community which would prefer to be linked by a bridge than a crossing.

“This place has been split in two by this major road, and we’ve got to keep those two communities together,” he said.

Another resident, Glynn Owen, said he was prepared to accept the new plans.

“They’ve given reasons why they can’t do it, the cost involved, and the amount of space it would take up,” he said.

“I think you’ve got to be thankful for what improvements they’re going to do, plus they’re spending money in the area and hopefully it’ll improve the environment for all local residents.”

National Highways said it would listen to feedback on the plans and prioritise the safety of pedestrians, especially those with accessibility needs.

Work is expected to begin on 8 November.