Saturday, December 13, 2008

More Edge Lane let-downs

Anyone who has travelled by car into Liverpool from the North or the East has probably arrived by driving down Edge Lane from the M62.

Liverpool Land Development Company (now merged with Liverpool Vision) have done some great work, tidying up the flyover at the Rocket, which now looks very smart. They have tidied up Edge Lane Drive so that it also looks like something to be proud of, but once you hit the Old Swan junction it all goes pear-shaped.

We have acres of empty and derelict retail properties and after a mile or so they are followed by acres of empty and derelict houses. It is true that the road itself has been smartened up, with new trees, new lamposts with distinctive blue decorative touches, new kerbs and visual improvements. But if you look across the pavement then all is most definitely not well.

Today I read in the Echo that the council has been successfully taken to the High Court by the owners of retail properties to the south of Edge Lane who have lost business following the closing of access points across the central reservation.

Three roads, Douro Place, Henry Street and Binns Road are no longer accessible for east-bound traffic and apparently one business has already been forced to close because of the changes.

I believe the LibDem council has set its face against the owners of Edge Lane retail properties and has also failed in its efforts to persuade home-owners in Edge Lane (west) to sell up in favour of redevelopment.

And so we are left with the street of shame, or should I call it the Lane of Lament?

The letters page of the Echo regularly contains missives from people who are ashamed of this, our major entrance into the city.

So, to coin a phrase, Come on Liverpool LibDems, get it sorted!

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