A LONG lease has been agreed which will help to facilitate the controversial £600 million Mersey Gateway bridge project.
The deal is between the Crown Estate and Halton Council and involves and area of foreshore on the Mersey in Halton.
Construction of the bridge, earmarked by the Government as a Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project, is expected to reduce peak journey times across the river between Widnes and Runcorn by ten minutes and deliver nearly 4,640 jobs locally.
But the scheme is viewed with some misgivings from Warrington because the new bridge – and the existing Widnes-Runcorn bridge – will be tolled.
This is expected to increase traffic congestion in Warrington due to drivers diverting through the town to avoid paying the toll.
The project involves construction of a new 1km long cable-stayed, dual-three lane bridge over the Mersey between Widnes and Runcorn.
It is due to be completed in 2017 and supporters claim it will deliver enormous benefits for the local area by providing a major new strategic transport route linking the Liverpool city-region and the North West to the rest of the country.
They say it will help to reduce congestion and pollution from local traffic, while supporting the sustained growth of Liverpool’s Ports and John Lennon Airport as well as improving business productivity throughout the Mersey corridor.
Malcolm Burns, rural and coastal portfolio manager for Wales and West, at The Crown Estate said: “This lease agreement will help to facilitate one of the most significant infrastructure projects in the UK, which, once constructed, has the potential to provide major benefits to the local economy. This is another example of how we actively manage our assets to enhance the value of our portfolio, delivering a range of benefits that go beyond the commercial returns we generate for the nation’s finances.”
Cllr Rob Polhill, leader of Halton Council, said: “The Crown Estate team played an important part in helping the council obtain the necessary rights and authorities to construct the new bridge in the Mersey Estuary over Crown Estate land.”
Steve Nicholson, chief executive at the Mersey Crossings Board – the organisation set up by Halton to deliver the scheme – added: “Assembling land for major infrastructure projects like Mersey Gateway, which includes the Crown Estate, presents a procedural challenge for promoters. We were pleased with the constructive support we received from The Crown Estate team that recognised the public interest in delivering this priority project.”
The Crown Estate is one of the largest owners of rural and coastal land in the UK. The foreshore and river bed to the mid-point of the River Mersey sit within its portfolio.
Pictured: Artists’ impression of the new bridge
