Residents in Bebington set to help design safer streets

Residents in Bebington, Wirral, will be asked to help to design safer, healthier and more attractive streets, as part of a new ‘By Ours’ community project led by the charity Sustrans, with Wirral Council.

Households in a one square mile residential area between Town Lane, Heath Road and Mayer Park, will receive a survey through their doors this week to gather views about what they like and dislike about their neighbourhood. Questions include topics such as safety, accessibility, traffic levels and green space.

The survey is also available online at by-ours-bebington.org.uk

The survey is the start of a three-stage design process for people to get involved to create streets that work for the whole community. Everyone in the area is invited to contribute. There will be a series of drop-in events where people can give their ideas and find out more.

By Ours works with residents, businesses and schools to improve local streets. The whole community comes together to design a vibrant neighbourhood with cleaner air, where more people walk to shops and services, stop and chat to each other, and children can play out.

Sustrans has already been working with local school children at primary and secondary schools in Bebington, to gather their views on what they like and dislike about their streets.

There are three stages to this collaborative design process:

• Summer 2022 – views and ideas gathered in survey
• Autumn 2022 – Sustrans designers shape ideas into designs for local people to comment and improve
• Spring 2023 – Final designs are showcased at a street event

Lou Henderson, project officer at Sustrans, said: “We’re very excited to launch By Ours in Bebington. I’ve already been working with schools across the area to find out how children and young people would like to reimagine their school streets. This survey is a chance for local residents to have their say. By Ours is a fantastic chance for local people to get involved and shape the way their neighbourhood looks and feels in the future.

“We aim to work with all sections of the community to ensure that our streets are working for different age groups and abilities, including families, ethnic minorities and disabled people.

“Everyone’s views are important and will help us to understand what local people need to make their streets feel safer, healthier and more attractive. Please do get involved and give your opinions in our postal or online survey. There will also be lots of opportunities to meet our friendly team in person and contribute your ideas in workshops and discussions.”

Wirral Council’s Director of Regeneration and Place, Alan Evans, said: “This is an exciting project working with the local community to create better and safer streets. I would urge people to get involved, fill in the survey and make the most of the drop-in events so that this project benefits everyone in the area.”

By Ours is a partnership project with Sustrans, Wirral Council and Liverpool City Region, funded by the Freshfield Foundation. It is one of three new pioneering community engagement projects in Liverpool City Region that are helping local people take action to deliver safer, healthier streets for everyone.

For more information see the website by-ours-bebington.org.uk