A Liverpool Council cabinet member has resigned in protest at the authority's plans for a key city centre area.

Councillor Laura Robertson-Collins has quit as the council's cabinet member for Environment and Sustainability - a newly created role she moved into in 2019.

But the Greenbank councillor has been raising concerns about the city council's ongoing work to redevelop the Lime Street area for some time.

She and other councillors are deeply concerned that the current plans, which will alter road layouts around Lime Street and St George's Place, will stop buses from travelling between Elliot Street, past St George's Place and beyond to other parts of the city.

The concerns are that while the project is aimed at reducing car use - it will actually stop people using buses to get around Liverpool and halt plans for a fully integrated public transport system in the city.

Responding to the objections, council officers said the plans could be amended to allow some bus travel - but that costs would mean this could only be considered after the current scheme of work is completed.

In a statement tonight, Cllr Robertson-Collins said that she was 'disappointed' that a new report for an upcoming meeting of the Highways Representation Committee does not recommend maintaining some form of bus access through the redeveloped Lime Street area.

Announcing her resignation from cabinet, she told colleagues: "I have informed (Acting Mayor) Cllr Simon that I am resigning as the cabinet member for Environment and Sustainability.

"I have been concerned by the proposal to remove all cross-city centre bus services from Lime Street since I was appointed to the Cabinet in July 2019. I was very pleased that in December 2020 the Highways Committee made the decision to review this proposal.

"I believe that the proposal to stop all buses accessing the middle section of Lime Street will impede future attempts to provide a fully integrated public transport system in Liverpool.

"To reduce future private car use, improve air quality and reduce carbon emissions to meet our net zero target we will need extensive and accessible bus services.

"LCC has recently accepted funding for bus 'retro-fit' and the LCR CA is working on hydrogen buses, plus re-regulation of the service in the longer term."

She added: "I'm disappointed that the report published today for the meeting on April 15 does not recommend maintaining this link, although there are many positive elements to the scheme. I hope that an option to enable continued cross-city centre buses will be chosen at the committee on Thursday.

"I wish to thank all Labour members who have supported me and the council's environment and sustainability work since 2019 and I place on record my thanks for Wendy's support for me in her role as Acting Leader."

Cllr Robertson-Collins' cabinet role was newly created in 2019 as the city council declared a climate emergency.

It will be a blow to the authority to see her resign from it so early on and over a council-led scheme.