Wotsit all about? Council agrees to packet in after road colour scheme likened to cheesy snack.

Byline: DAVID HUMPHREYS Local Democracy Reporter news@liverpool.com @HUMPHREYSECHO

MAJOR changes are to be made to a road dubbed "Wotsit Street" after a backlash from the community.

Last year, Grange Road West in Birkenhead was transformed into a one-way street to try and improve the area with planters, benches, and colourful road markings.

However, the road has since been compared to the cheesy snacks by many because of its colour scheme.

Now at the end of a six-month trial of traffic measures, Wirral Council says it will remove the street furniture and reinstate parking on the road. Officials said the coloured markings in particular had "generated significant concern".

The aim of the trial was to assess whether changes to traffic movement could improve the operation of the Charing Cross junction and support safer, more accessible routes for pedestrians.

These were deliberately temporary, lower-cost measures designed to test how the street functioned in practice without committing to major civil engineering works such as altering kerb lines or drainage.

Based on monitoring data and feedback received so far, the council's current view is that the one-way traffic system itself has generally worked well and has helped improve the operation of the Charing Cross junction. However, the temporary features introduced as part of the trial were not as warmly received, with many calling for their removal and for parking to be reinstated.

Cllr Paula Basnett, leader of Wirral Council, said: "We know that the changes on Grange Road West have been a real concern for many residents and businesses, and it's important to be clear that these measures were always a trial.

"Over the last six months we've been monitoring how they've worked and, just as importantly, listening to what people have told us about how it feels and functions day to day. The evidence shows that the one-way system has improved how the Charing Cross junction operates, but it's also very clear that some of the trial features - particularly the surfacing, planters and benches -are not what people want.

"We are acting on that feedback. Retaining the one-way system while removing the unpopular features and reinstating parking is the option that best reflects what we've heard and balances traffic movement with the needs of the town centre.

All benches and planters will be repurposed and reused in other areas of the borough to support projects across schools and parks.

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Grange Road West in Birkenhead last month