Plans for a new crossing of the River Mersey moved one step closer this week, when transport secretary Alistair Darling announced £209M of government funding.
The 2km Mersey Gateway is planned to provide a new, tolled crossing of the Mersey, between Runcorn and Widnes. It will provide relief to the existing Silver Jubilee Bridge, which was designed to carry 9,000 vehicles a day but is now having to cope with more than 90,000.
The Silver Jubilee Bridge is the only Mersey crossing for 32.5km – a weakness highlighted this week when industrial action closed both Liverpool tunnels (see page 4). Darling stated: ‘The proposed new bridge would bring significant benefits to the local communities of Runcorn and Widnes, improve access to key developments such as Liverpool John Lennon Airport, and help support the continuing economic growth on Merseyside.’
The bridge would be located 1.5 to 2km to the east of the Silver Jubilee Bridge, and allow the latter to be ‘restored to its original role as an essentially local crossing, with enhanced provision for pedestrians, cyclists and public transport’, the Department for Transport said. The DfT has offered a maximum funding contribution of £86M in conventional finance, and £123M in private-finance initiative credits, towards the estimated £305M cost. The package was dependent on the introduction of tolls.
~Halton Borough Council~ has campaigned for the new bridge for several years. Council leader, Cllr ~Tony McDermott~ said: ‘This is a momentous day for Halton and for the whole Northwest region. The Mersey Gateway is our bridge to prosperity – Halton’s highway to the future – and the work will not stop until we deliver this truly-spectacular piece of urban architecture on the ground.’ Halton estimated in its local transport plan that the net benefits would ‘exceed £1bn’, generating 20,000m2 of additional commercial floorspace and 3,350 new, permanent jobs.
However, Darling’s announcement incensed anti-road campaigners, who pointed out it came the day after the Government’s admission that it was failing to hit targets on reducing carbon emissions. Road Block co-ordinator, Rebecca Lush, said: ‘It is no wonder the Government is failing to reduce emissions, when it is allowing traffic levels to rise by continuing to build more roads.’ Halton will now take the scheme forward to detailed design and application for statutory powers.
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