Cllr John Howard, council officers, and the Lark Lane Neighbourhood Association have been working together to find solutions to issues arising from changes in Lark Lane during & after lockdown, & hopefully start to solve these issues.
Proposed solutions include:
1) Physical re-design of the Lane: £1 million secured to change physical infrastructure on the Lane. Officers drew up initial sets of plans which residents have commented on & redrafts for public consultation underway. Ideas considered include: widening pavements making bollarded areas permanent, safer & accessible; speed tables at junctions; better cycle infrastructure.
2) Cumulative impact licensing: John gathered a petition submitted at full council calling for cumulative impact licensing (which considers what shops/bars an area already has lots of etc.) to be brought back on the Lane. Hopefully this will halt the rising number of loud late-night bars. “It’s about balancing local businesses’ need to attract people with what is also residential area.”
3) Public meeting with council officers: It was arranged that officers met directly with local residents to discuss issues like noise, licensing breeches & litter that the physical redesign alone won’t solve. As a result, some new approaches will be tested including alternative litter picking methods, & predictive redistribution of parking officers during events in the park. John said “I’m constantly telling officers about these issues residents report so it was great they got chance to tell officers directly about how important these issues are & how to realistically solve them.”
If you would like to speak to John about this issue, contact him at John.Howard@liverpool.gov.uk