🚫 Final Word on Wirral’s Cycling Debate

I’ve said what I needed to say. I’ve published my white paper. www.inkbyte.co.uk/cycling

The data’s there. The vision’s there. And my intent has always been clear: to support a better, safer, more joined-up transport network for everyone—cyclists, drivers, pedestrians, and people with mobility needs alike.

But after watching this evenings committee meeting, and how my work is now being politicised, I’ve decided to step back. I’m not interested in being misunderstood, or used as ammunition in party-political squabbles. If we can’t do each other the basic courtesy of speaking before quoting, then it’s not consultation—it’s theatre.

Meanwhile, the real problem is hiding in plain sight. Just walk anywhere in the borough.

Cracked paving. Faded road markings. Pot holes. Visual clutter. Orcas, bollards, barriers, and signage slapped onto every corner like afterthoughts. And at the centre of it all: Birkenhead town centre, still dug up and fenced off because the council can’t even manage to lay a bit of paving outside the Pyramids. The whole regeneration is delayed, over-budget, and a visual mess. If we can’t even fix the pavement outside our main shopping precinct, what hope is there for delivering a long-term, joined-up transport strategy?

I’ve given my input. I’ve tried to help. If you're serious about building something better—start with the basics. Fix the paving. Fix the signals. Then read the white paper.

You know where to find it.