We asked, you said, we did

We Asked

A public consultation was conducted from 25 September 2024 – 23 October 2024 regarding proposed changes to car parking charges.

The council currently charges the public for parking at certain car parks and at on-street locations and these charges are used to help manage traffic, congestion and to help keep people moving so that everyone who needs to, is more likely to have access to a car parking space. The council now have some proposed changes to parking charges that will affect car parking across the borough. The purpose of these changes is to deliver against Wirral’s Parking Strategy, approved by the Environment Climate Emergency and Transport committee in December 2023, and in particular the short-term policy aims. In line with the Parking Strategy and also the council approved Cool 2 Climate Strategy, these proposed changes will help meet the costs of continuing to provide dedicated public car parking in a fair way as well as to address future parking impacts by ensuring that any new parking plans are self-financing.

The proposals include the introduction of charges in on-street parking bays and introduction of a £1 charge to park overnight (between 6.30pm and 8am) at Kings Parade / Coastal Drive, New Brighton (TO/24/40), North Parade / Meols Parade, Hoylake and Meols (TO/24/41) and South Parade, West Kirby (TO/24/42), inflationary increases at on-street parking bays where fees already apply (including on-street parking permits) and introduction of a £1 charge to park overnight (between 6.30pm and 8am) in the Birkenhead Controlled Parking Zone (TO/24/39) ant the introduction of charges at council-owned off-street car parks and Introduction of a £1 charge to park overnight (between 6.30pm and 8am) (TO/24/38) .

You Said

The questionnaire was responded to by 3070 people. 86.3% objected to the introduction of scheme TO/24/40 at Kings Parade / Coastal drive, New Brighton. 86.3% objected to the introduction of scheme TO/24/41 at North Parade / Meols Parade, Hoylake and Meols. 85.9% objected to the introduction of scheme TO/24/42 at South Parade, West Kirby. 74.9% objected to the introduction of scheme TO/24/39 in the Birkenhead Controlled Parking Zone. 93.9% objected to the introduction of scheme TO/24/38 in Other Off-Street Car Parks. 80.6% objected to all schemes.

We Did

At the meeting of the 03/12/2024 - Environment, Climate Emergency and Transport Committee, the proposed changes to Parking Charges were approved.

Link to consultation page.

We Asked

A public consultation was conducted from 8 January to 18 March regarding the Woodside Masterplan. The proposals included: 1,700 homes within the Masterplan redline and approximately 2,560 in total including the areas outside of the redline masterplanned, 2 new hotels, but potential for more, 11,300 sqm of active ground floor uses including workspaces, food and beverages, leisure and health, 2 new multi-storey carparks supporting a centralised parking solution - 1 within the masterplan boundary, opportunity for a major new cultural attraction, enhanced public realm, new external event space and improved cycleways and enhanced connections to public transport and the town centre.

You Said

172 people responded to the consultation. Two thirds (66.7%) of respondents supported the masterplan, 13.5% did not support the masterplan. Railway links were deemed the most important travel method in Woodside, followed by walking infrastructure. Cycling infrastructure was ranked as the least important. The largest perceived benefit of the Woodside masterplan was ‘Contribute to effectively regenerating Birkenhead,’ with 14.4% of responses, followed by ‘Improve the image of the town’, with 14.3% of responses.

We Did

At the meeting of the 04/12/2024 - Economy Regeneration & Housing Committee, the Woodside Masterplan was approved. The latest version of the masterplan can be found here.

Link to consultation page.

We Asked

Prior to the existing PSPO expiring, Wirral Council is proposed a new Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO) covering large parts of West Kirby and some parts of Hoylake. The areas were selected with the aim of reducing the risk of ASB in those areas, to keep residents and other members of the public safe. We asked the public if they supported or opposed the proposed PSPO and why, as well as their experiences with ASB.

You Said

284 people engaged in the survey with 283 responses coming through the online portal and 1 paper copy. 90.8% of respondents supported the proposed PSPO whilst 6.7% opposed it. 77.7% of respondents stated that they had experienced ASB in the proposed PSPO area in the past 12 months with; 94.5% citing groups of four or more people and 84.0% face coverings (this does not include religious or medical face coverings). Reasons for respondents supporting or opposing the proposed PSPO can be found in the full report.

We Did

The results of the survey were used to inform recommendations compiled by the Wirral Council ASB Team on the implementation of the PSPO. With the support of Merseyside Police, the proposed PSPO for West Kirby has been approved for implementation.

Link to consultation page

We Asked

A public consultation was conducted by Royal Pilgrim Communications on behalf of Ion Property Developments Ltd (Ion) Wirral Council’s Development Manager, in relation to the proposed Hind Street Urban Village. The proposal would see a redevelopment of the former industrial site at Hind Street through the creation of up to 1,600 new homes, accessible public realm including new strategic open space (Dock Branch South) and public squares, a primary school, complementary commercial uses such as offices, shops, cafes and restaurants, healthcare, nursery services, care services and hotel, and a multi-storey car park and mobility hub.

You Said

87 people responded to the survey. When asked if to indicate levels of support for the development, 56% supported the proposals, 26% partially supported the proposals, 11% did not support the proposals and 7% were unsure. Key reasons given to support the plans included the regeneration of an underused, brownfield site into a new, thriving community which is attractive to live in, work in and visit. The removal of the flyovers and connecting back to Birkenhead town centre was also a key comment. Sustainability and a walkable/cyclable community, connecting to public transport was important, as was making better use of and improving access to Birkenhead Central station.

We Did

At the meeting of the Policy and Resources committee 2 October 2024, two reports, one to allow progress with Hind Street Urban Village and a second to start primary works to enable wider housing development in the area, were agreed.

Link to consultation page.

We Asked

We worked with six local schools to pilot a 'School Streets' scheme aiming to help make the school run safer, healthier and happier for children, families and the wider community. We asked for your opinions about whether the School Streets scheme should be made permanent at each of the pilot schools.

You Said

126 people engaged in the survey, and across the schools most participants supported the scheme (75.4%) and would like to see the scheme made permanent (77.%).

We Did

The ideas and comments shared help the council to decide whether the scheme was working for the school and the local community and would achieve the goals to make the school run safer, healthier and happier. Based on the results the School Street is a permanent feature at the following schools:

• Greenleas Primary School, Wallasey
• Liscard Primary School, Liscard
• Christ Church CE School, Birkenhead
• St Albans Primary School, Wallasey
• St George's Primary School, Wallasey
• Raeburn Primary School, Bromborough

The scheme is delivered through an Experimental Traffic Regulation Order (ETRO) for a trial period of up to 18 months.

A dedicated Active Travel Officer will help introduce and support the School Streets schools through education activities. Road signs have been introduced to show where the School Street zones are and to tell motorists of the hours of operation.

Please visit the School Streets Hub to find out more including details of individual schools and FAQs.

We Asked

Wirral Council carried out a review of the criteria for licensing Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Vehicles to ensure that passengers feel safe and comfortable in a high standard of vehicle that meets the needs of passengers.

You Said

289 people engaged in the survey, 74.9% respondents were Private Hire or Hackney Carriage licence holders. Respondents answered questions regarding vehicle age criteria, frequency of MOT testing, window tint, step height and bench seat. The results of all the responses can be found in the full report.

We Did

The feedback provided through the consultation was reviewed by the June meeting of the Regulatory and General Purposes Committee. The committee approved several amendments to the criteria for licensing Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Vehicles contained within the Council’s Statement of Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Licensing Policy. Full details of the amendments can be found here and policy documents found here.

We Asked

Wirral Council proposed a new Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO) at Alabama Way Car Park with the aim to reduce the risk of anti-social behaviour (ASB) and to keep residents safe. This followed a ASB case review which shown that there has been an increase of ASB reports made to the Council and Police for incidents in Alabama Way Car Park. We asked the public if they supported or opposed the proposed PSPO and why as well as their experiences with ASB.

You Said

26 people engaged in the survey with 23 responses coming through the online portal and 3 paper copies. 92.3% of respondents supported the proposed PSPO whilst 7.7% opposed it. 65.4% of respondents stated that they had experienced ASB in the proposed PSPO area in the past 12 months with; 100.0% experiencing amplified music from a vehicle, 94.1% revving of motor vehicle engines and 88.2% sounding of motor vehicle horns. Reasons for respondents supporting or opposing the proposed PSPO can be found in the full report.

We Did

The results of the survey were reviewed by Wirral Councils ASB team and Legal Services. As a result, with the support of Merseyside Police, the proposed PSPO for Alabama Way Car Park has been approved for implementation.

Link to consultation page.

We Asked

Wirral Council is developing ambitious plans to redesign streets along a direct route from Birkenhead to Liscard town centres to improve accessibility, make streets safer for local people and provide high quality facilities for pedestrians and cyclists, known as LCWIP. The consultation asked for feedback on route plans and levels of support for the route and in person consultations took place simultaneously with the have your say consultation.

Link to consultation page.

You Said

303 people engaged in the survey. 50.5% (153 responses) oppose the LCWIP Birkenhead to Liscard project and 38.0% (115 responses) support the project. In the wards that the route passes through, levels of support were mixed: Birkenhead and Tranmere – 8 responses, 75.0% support, 25.0% object, 0.0% neutral, Seacombe – 45 responses, 28.9% support, 48.9% object, 22.2% neutral, Liscard – 42 responses, 28.6% support, 61.9% object, 9.6% neutral. The main reason respondents gave for supporting the project was that the project will improve safety for cyclists and other active travel users. The main reason respondents gave for objecting to the project was disagreement with the proposed spend as they do not believe that the project would provide value for money. Feedback on individual plans can be found in the full report.

We Did

The feedback from the online and in person consultations was reviewed by the July meeting of Environment, Climate Emergency and Transport Committee (link).

The decisions were:

1. to undertake the detailed design of the Birkenhead to Liscard Active Travel Scheme (RIBA Stages 3 and 4) and undertake public and stakeholder consultation (including statutory consultation) on the detailed design, duly informed by the public and stakeholder consultation process;

2. to progress the development of the Business Case for the Birkenhead to Liscard Active Travel Scheme in accordance with the requirements of the LCRCA City Region Sustainable Transport Settlement Gateway Process.

We Asked

We asked for feedback on the New Brighton Marine Promenade Masterplan. This focuses on the area extending from the Floral Pavilion to the west of Union Terrace in New Brighton. The Masterplan sets out a framework to deliver a high-quality, attractive and vibrant mixed-use area comprising a mix of cultural, hotel, leisure and residential uses which support the regeneration of neighbouring areas and facilities including the Floral Pavilion Theatre and the Local Centres at Victoria Road and Seabank Road. The Masterplan identifies potential for one or more appropriately designed landmark buildings and seeks to encourage active uses at ground floor level.

You Said

59% of respondents said they supported the masterplan overall. Feedback suggested that it could provide benefits including improving the image of the town, encouraging more visitors and businesses and a possible outdoor lido could be beneficial. Respondents also fed back that there were some concerns about reducing parking provision and the possible inclusion of multi-storey buildings.

We Did

At the Economy, Regeneration and Housing Committee 16 July 2024 the New Brighton Marine Promenade Masterplan was adopted as the Council’s approved planning strategy for the area. Amendments were made in regards to strengthening reference to the use of the Marine Lake for recreational uses, including open water swimming and the inclusion of an additional 'infill' option for the site at the corner of Rowson Street/Marine Promenade. The latest version of the masterplan can be found here.

Link to consultation page.