Rimrose Runners open letter to @highwaysNewest @HighwaysEngland
@grantshapps @BorisJohnson
@saverimrose
To whom it may concern,
As a community running group, 'Rimrose Runners' we attended the last round of 'consultations' as a group to voice our concerns over the A5036 port of

Liverpool project. It was clear you hadn't heard of us and asked us to write to you to tell you the different routes we take on our runs around the valley as this road project will have a massive impact on our club and it's members.
We have been established and associated with

England Athletics since the beginning of 2018. We spent the 5 months before then securing funding from Sefton Council and training as run leaders. We started off with 2 run leaders and now have 6 who are able to lead groups around Rimrose Valley.

Our club is very community focused and we have in excess of 400 followers on our Facebook page and regularly have 20-30 members who join us twice a week for running sessions. We regularly have couch to 5k groups to support people into running and try to offer something for

everyone. Our training times are Thursdays at 6.30pm and Sunday mornings at 10.30am all year round.
Our members range in age from 15 to 70+ with differing abilities. We have helped teenagers working through their exams, people going through cancer treatment and provide the

opportunity for people to train with others in a safe, secure group to relieve stress and help with poor mental health and help people into fitness. The environment we run in is perfect for this - the valley provides fresh air, respite, nature, green space and much more without

a road in sight.
We are extremely concerned at the proposals of this space being decimated and sliced in half with a dual carriageway/motorway. The funds available for this project are pitiful and it appears there has been no thought to people's health living around the valley

and people who use the valley. Much more thought needs to be given to multi modal approaches which will benefit the whole community.
Where will this leave us as a club? Where will we train when we are turfed out for a road? There is no space like this in the area that is

accessible to so many people- our members come from all around the valley to join us. The thought of our future is frightening and we will do everything in our power to stop this devastating catastrophe from happening.
I enclose a map with some of the different routes we take

around the valley. As you will see, we use every part of the valley: the canal; the newly refurbished running track which has benefited so many in the community; the main paths, paths through the foliage for cross country. How can this be mitigated? The simple answer is: IT CAN'T

I would like to know how the proposed road being sliced through this much loved and well used greenspace fits into the better health Campaign? Because I can't see how it does. @BorisJohnson @grantshapps @saverimrose @HighwaysEngland @HighwaysNWEST