A WIRRAL councillor is facing criticism for comments that active travel schemes were “about getting cars off the road.”

Cllr Steve Foulkes first made the comments at an environment and transport committee meeting on March 14, 2023 and they were raised again during a debate over whether to pause the local authority’s rollout of 20mph limits across Wirral on October 9.

In March, he said: “The idea of active travel schemes is to encourage cycling and safe walking which we heard a lot about earlier on and it’s about getting cars off the road and unless we build that infrastructure first, then people will not take the alternative.

“At the same time, we’ve got to back that up with a good public transport system which we are trying to reform.”

He was challenged by Conservative councillor Tony Cox in a speech at an October 9 meeting. Cllr Cox added: “I believe there are those amongst us that will hijack such a policy for their own ideological agenda and I talked about the insidious moves of members in this council who are hell bent on getting people out of cars.”

Cllr Foulkes said he had been selectively quoted and added the allegation was "ludicrous."

Elaine Velho, a member of a motorcycle action group protesting against the council on 20mph limits, told the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS): “I’d like to know if the councillors are prepared to put their money where their mouth is, surrender their 4x4s, whatever trucks they’ve got and use public transport like they want us all to do.”

At the meeting, Ms Velho challenged Cllr Foulkes and asked if councillors would “only cycle, walk or use public transport to lead by example.”

Cllr Foulkes said: “If you remember what the debate was about, it was about people using their car less and going slower. I didn’t want to get people to leave their cars, I wanted them to use them less.”

He later told the LDRS: “I would reply and ask them to listen to my numerous contributions on the matter. Active travel schemes are just one way people may choose to leave their cars at home and choose a healthier and more planet friendly mode of transport. We are committed to improving public transport as another alternative. Bus re-regulation and new trains are an example.

“The point they are trying to make is ludicrous. They have selectively quoted a small passage. Yes less cars will be on the road if we use active travel but I did not ask for all cars to be taken off the road.

“We realise cars are here to stay but if we all used them say one day less, say one day a week, we could go a long way to meeting net zero targets. I have a car, a Kia Sportage, but have pledged to use it less as part of my commitments when I underwent climate change training which taught me short car journeys are a major cause of global warming.”

At the meeting on March 14, Cllr Foulkes said he also cycles to work in better weather.