Opinions sought on proposed new road
● VIEWS are being sought from Halton Borough Council from its counterpart in Warrington over a proposed new road. A consultation has been launched by Warrington Borough Council to address traffic congestion in the town. The Warrington Western Link plans will be presented to the Department For Transport (DFT) by the end of December. A report prepared for Halton Borough Council’s executive board said the scheme is designed to address ‘pinch points’ which affect Warrington town centre, the Manchester Ship Canal, and the River Mersey.
The report said building of the road could start in the early 2020s and that a case in being developed for it to be constructed around the south-west of Warrington, near Runcorn and Widnes.
It said the potential route could link the A56/A5060 Chester Road with the A57/A562 in Great Sankey.
The document said: “There are no specific transport policy implications in relation to this consultation, although there are potential implications for traffic flow and transport routing on Halton’s highway network, including the Mersey Gateway.
“There are potential implications for planning policy and land use allocations as the routes have potential to increase development pressures in south western Warrington, in close proximity to potential development sites in east Runcorn.
“The council does not have a statutory duty to respond to this consultation, but it is considered that a dialogue between the two authorities on this scheme could result in benefits for both parties, and minimise any potential impacts.”
The public consultation is running until Friday, July 28.
The item will be discussed at a meeting at the Municipal Building in Widnes on Thursday, July 20.
For more information visit www.warrington.gov.uk/ westernlink