Council chiefs ready to approve next phase of Western Link

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TOWN Hall chiefs at Warrington are to be asked to give the go-ahead for the next, important phase of the £212.7m Western Link development, which aims to reduce traffic congestion by 30 per cent  around the town centre

The borough council’s cabinet will consider a report, on Monday July 8, recommending that they accept the offer made by the Department for Transport to confirm “Programme Entry” for the scheme into its Large Local Major Schemes Programme.

Approval would pave the way to the start of the pre-construction stage of the works. This would involve a wide range of activities, the most significant being the preparation by the council of a final major transport scheme business case.

This is required to secure full approval from the Department for Transport. Gaining full approval would allow the scheme to be constructed, unlocking £142.5m in government funding -with the remaining £70.2m coming from the council.

Western Link – a new 3.2km length of road, connecting the A56 Chester Road to A57 Sankey Way – aims to reduce congestion and ease traffic flow, particularly in the town centre, by providing an alternative route avoiding the severely congested Bridgefoot and Brian Bevan junctions.

Warrington’s outline business case – submitted to the government in 2017 – outlined the ambition to ensure there is sufficient transport infrastructure in place to allow Warrington’s growth and economic success to continue.

The link aims to deliver up to a 30 per cent reduction in congestion around the town centre, cutting journey times through it and helping to improve air quality in already established air quality management areas.

It will also provide greater ease for journeys getting in, out and through Warrington by constructing a high-level bridge crossing over the Manchester Ship Canal, which will reduce the impact of ship canal swing bridge openings on Warrington’s highway network, providing additional resilience.

The project – the most ambitious step in the development of the overall Waterfront programme for Warrington – will support the core elements of the Local Plan, including delivery of residential and employment areas, while complementing other town centre highways, transportation and regeneration projects.

If given the go-ahead by the cabinet, the pre-construction stage will also include extensive community engagement at a range of levels, throughout the development and delivery of the scheme.

This will include a number of formal consultations and ongoing dialogue with all affected stakeholders and residents.
Details of the scheme can be seen at warrington.gov.uk/westernlink

The proposal for the Western Link sparked controversy with some local residents who believe the proposal will just move traffic issues in one part of the town to another.

Anti Western Link protesters at an earlier demonstration at Warrington town hall

Government give green light for controversial Western Link funding


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