Rimrose Valley bypass plans scrapped in budget

The bypass was set to go through Rimrose Valley Country Park

A £250m bypass planned to go through a Merseyside country park has been scrapped in the budget.

The proposal for a dual carriageway through Rimrose Valley Country Park in south Sefton was first announced in 2017 to improve access to the Port of Liverpool.

In budget documents released today, the Transport Secretary said the A5036 Princess Way scheme would not progress as it was “unfunded and unaffordable”.

Bootle’s Labour MP Peter Dowd, whose constituency includes the port, said: "Rimrose Valley is a green lung for my constituents and the last thing we wanted was a road to be built through it."

He added: "We now have to ensure that the work to develop a long term, environmentally sustainable alternative continues."

National Highways wanted to build the new road to bypass congestion in Litherland on the A5036 between the Switch Island Interchange and Princess Way.

The A5036 Port of Liverpool Access Scheme was included in the previous government's Roads Investment Strategy 2020-2025, but was postponed in 2023 due to "environmental challenges and ongoing design changes", as well as increasing costs.

Hundreds of local people have protested against the bypass plans.

Stuart Bennett of the Save Rimrose Valley campaign said campaigners felt vindicated by the announcement.

He added: “This is a piece of countryside in our community. It’s a haven for wildlife and if we lost it, it would be a dark day for south Sefton.”

“This road was being built with one customer in mind – the port. Freight needs to come off the roads and onto the rails."

The Port of Liverpool has been contacted for comment.