Sand Clearance, Beach Parking and Lifeguards To Be Abolished.....

Southport and Ainsdale beaches are to be hit by the Council's cost cutting measures. Sand clearance and Lifeguards are to be stopped. Ainsdale beach will only be open for parking from mid May till early September.

The full list is below.

• Beach life guarding will stop at Southport Town Beach

• Cessation of dog free zone enforcement at Southport.

• Management of the pinewoods will cease with no implementation of the Woodland Plan unless externally funded.

• Patrolling of coastal areas.

• Ability to expand and coordinate volunteers and community involvement

• Legacy work to sustain the community element of the Lottery funded Landscape Partnership Scheme

• Cease commitment to LoveMyBeach/Turning Tides NW bathing water improvement initiative and requirements of Revised Bathing Water Directive

• Maintenance of Cycling paths on Crosby and Southport promenades clear of sand

• No response to incidents and emergencies including no out of hours response. • 3 coast and countryside satellite sites will no longer be covered/patrolled.

• No Sand dune management/restoration – especially at Crosby/Hightown, unless out with core funded coast and countryside budgets.

• No education/community work unless linked to external funding

• External accreditation – Seaside Awards. FSC etc.

The following activities will reduce:

• Ainsdale. Beach car parking at Ainsdale will cease outside the main summer season - the beach car parks will be opened later in spring (May), closed earlier at the end of summer (mid-week from first weekend in Sept) subject to need and weather conditions and due to reduced staffing levels during the summer,reduced in size so as to be managed/policed safely and effectively.

• Habitat management except in areas where external grants are involved or actions required protecting the SSSI/SAC from consented but potentially damaging operations such as beach car parking and coordinated specialist volunteers groups will cease. The following activities will only be undertaken on a severely reduced basis:

• Manual litter clearance on all areas - there will be further reduced cleansing activity on the main amenity beach areas and other coastal areas, including the hinterland, nature reserves, and Rimrose Valley Country Park

• Beach Life guarding at Southport will cease with limited cover being provided from Ainsdale at peak times and high risk periods (tides)

• Sand clearance along promenades at Southport and Crosby and the footpaths through Crosby Coastal Park i.e. there will be reduced sand clearance with paths being blocked for longer periods or semi-permanently.

Story and Photo Source: Southport GB