Campaigners see plans to build a £250m dual carriageway close to the Port of Liverpool finally killed off, and a country park saved, after a seven-year fight. Tony McDonough reports

Rimrose Valley Country Park is now safe from destruction. Picture by Status Imagery

Campaigners in the Save Rimrose Valley protest group are celebrating after securing victory in the battle against a new £250m dual carriageway.

In its Budget on Wednesday the Government announced that the “unfunded and unaffordable” plan for the so-called Port of Liverpool Access Road, was finally to be shelved.

Save Rimrose Valley was formed by local residents after National Highways first unveiled plans for the Port of Liverpool Access Road in 2017. It is designed to alleviate congestion on Dunningsbridge Road.

It would have seen Rimrose Valley Country Park cut in half by the proposed A5036 Princess Way. However, the scheme was beset by delays. And in March 2023 the then Transport Secretary, Mark Harper further delayed the project.

Local Labour MPs including Bill Esterson and Peter Dowd, as well as Liverpool City Region Metro Mayor Steve Rotheram, all threw their weight behind the campaign against the road.

This latest announcement was contained in Chancellor Rachel Reeves’s full Autumn Budget statement. It reads: “As part of the government’s commitment to growth, it will take difficult decisions where there is not a clear value for money case to invest.”

This still leaves an issue in the medium to long term of how to get freight quickly in and out of the Port of Liverpool as it continues to grow, with rail capacity still constrained. 

Members of Dave Rimrose Valley have called for better solutions to port access to be developed instead, including increasing rail freight capacity and innovative freight logistics technology.

Public support for the campaign went from strength to strength, with thousands of members of the public attending protests and demonstrations in opposition to the plans.  eve Rotheram, who backed their calls for better alternatives to be put forward.

A demo organised by Save Rimrose Valley at the Port of Liverpool. Picture by Brian Lavery

Campaign co-ordinator Stuart Bennett said: “Today’s outcome is the culmination of seven years’ hard work, community action and vindication that what we’ve been saying all along, is correct.

“The road proposal was the wrong ‘solution’, which would have destroyed the last green space of its kind in what is already a heavily urbanised and polluted area. The fact that it was ever on the table is a disgrace. National Highways has serious questions to answer.

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“Our campaign is incredibly proud that, by uniting as a community, standing up for ourselves, and working with our local and regional politicians, we were able to slam the brakes on these plans and force the government to think again.

“We would like to thank them for listening to us and for proving that democracy is alive and well.”