MP welcomes Western Link funding but remains opposed to Port Warrington

WARRINGTON South MP Faisal Rashid has welcomed news that the Department for Transport has agreed to contribute £142.5m for the new Western Link road – but says he remains opposed to Port Warrington.

While backing the bid for the new link road, Faisal has also made it clear to both the Council and to the Department for Transport that any funding for it should be in no way reliant upon Port Warrington.

Faisal is strongly opposed to proposals for Port Warrington, which he believes offer no benefits for local people or the town.

Faisal said:“I am delighted to hear that our town will be receiving significant funding from the Department for Transport for the Warrington Western Link. Infrastructural investment on this scale is long overdue in Warrington.

“Since my election, one of the greatest concerns raised with me by my constituents has been about the need for better road infrastructure and the urgent need to act to tackle the intolerable problems we have with traffic congestion.

“These problems are a direct consequence of poor infrastructure. There are limited crossing points on the River Mersey and Manchester Ship Canal, as well as a boundary of frequently congested major motorway networks. Combined with the Constituency’s growth, this has resulted in chronic traffic congestion and poor air quality.

“Former Conservative Chancellor George Osborne promised us that the Mersey Gateway would be toll-free for our town. But his Conservative Government’s U-turn on this issue let us all down and plunged Warrington South into further congestion misery. I continue to fight for the toll to be scrapped but sadly to date Conservative Ministers have failed to act on the concerns raised by me and my constituents.

“As it stands, our roads are not fit for purpose and the problems we have with congestion are only set to get worse. Doing nothing is simply not an option. I gave my backing to the Council’s bid for the Warrington Western Link because I felt it would offer our town real solutions to the congestion – long-term solutions that will help future generations.

“The Warrington Western Link will hugely benefit residents in west Warrington and south of the Ship Canal by significantly improving connectivity between these areas.

“The Link will also free up brownfield sites for housing, helping to protect Green Belt land from development. Since my election, I have always pursued a brownfield first approach to development and I have taken steps to help ensure this can happen. Along with backing the Western Link, I backed the bid for the Centre Park Link, which together will alleviate congestion in the town centre and enable easier access. I have also backed funding bids that will rejuvenate the town centre helping to strengthen its future viability.

“On making my decision to back the Warrington Western Link bid, I made it clear that any support would be on the condition that all possible efforts were made to minimise the impact on local people. Throughout the process to date, I have worked closely with residents, the Council and with the Transport Minister, Jesse Norman. I arranged for Council officers to meet residents on a regular basis to raise concerns and to be kept informed of any progress. Council officers have worked hard to consult with residents and businesses. I have made it clear to the Council that these meetings must continue.

“As the process develops, I will continue to represent my constituents’ views on this issue to the very best of my ability.

“Warrington has a pressing need for major infrastructure projects to reduce congestion and by doing so, improving air quality in the town. I believe the Warrington Western Link project will go some way to ameliorate these problems, playing an essential role in relieving congestion and reducing travel delays and by doing so, hugely benefiting communities across Warrington South for generations to come.”