Residents and business owners in Bebington are welcome to pop-up events like this one at Beau’s Kitchen to learn the findings of the neighborhood street survey and to talk about strategies for enhancing the streets. Denis Oates in a photo
This month, a number of pop-up events are being planned by the By Ours Bebington community project to present the findings of the By Ours Neighbourhood Street Survey. Spring bulbs will be given away for free, along with refreshments and bike maintenance.
The community project, coordinated by the nonprofit Sustrans and Wirral Council, is in its first stages. By Ours designs safer, healthier streets for everyone in collaboration with locals, businesses, and educational institutions. In all, 825 participants completed the poll online, in person, or through a leaflet. Litter and street cleaning, the safety of pedestrians and bicyclists in traffic, and the unpleasantness of cycling in Bebington were the main issues raised. Of those surveyed, 74% said they want more plants and greenery, 73% said they want more benches and rest areas, and 71% think that better streets would result from less pavement parking, slower traffic, and safer crossings.
We have been extremely happy with the reception to By Ours thus far, according to Lou Henderson, project officer for By Ours Bebington. The study clearly demonstrates that residents of Bebington enjoy their lives there, but they also strongly desire some changes to the way the city appears and feels on the streets.
