Funding would eliminate need for toll bridge

WARRINGTON Council is urging the Government to provide funding for a new bridge across the Mersey to avoid the need of a toll and the threat of increased traffic in the town.
Liberal Democrat Parliamentary Spokesperson Councillor Jo Crotty (pictured) had her motion asking the Labour Government to fund a new bridge over the Mersey at Halton passed unanimously by the council.
Government funding for the bridge would eliminate the need for a toll on the new crossing which would increase traffic on already congested Warrington streets.
Coun Crotty said, “I am pleased that Warrington’s council has sent out a strong message that we are tired of being ignored by the Labour Government.”
“The Government has found the money to redevelop the whole east end of London for the Olympics, they have found the money to bail out Humberside and effectively subsidise their bridge, and they have found the money to remove tolls on five bridges in Scotland. Yet here we are in the North West facing the prospect of building a toll bridge through private investment that will actually make traffic problems in Warrington worse.”
Studies have shown that traffic in Warrington could be increased by as much as 9% if the maximum toll of £2.50 is charged on the new bridge.
Coun Crotty and the Liberal Democrats have been campaigning for the Government to fund the bridge since news broke of the increased traffic a toll would cause.
People can sign a petition against the toll by visiting www.jocrotty.org.uk or www.warringtonlibdems.org.uk . Coun Crotty added, “Why have Labour’s 56 MPs in the North West failed to convince their Government to fund a bridge across the Mersey in the same way their colleagues did in London, Scotland and Humberside? If these Labour MPs are so poor at representing us then it is time that some of them were replaced!
“Unlike Labour the Liberal Democrats are sticking up for Warrington and putting our town first.”