Gateway to work for hundreds of Halton residents

MERSEY Gateway tolls operator Merseyflow now employs about 170 staff who live in Runcorn, the bridge consortium has said.

A Merseylink spokesman said Merseyflow employs 180 workers, 95% of whom live in Runcorn.

He said some have secured their jobs following a period out of work.

The spokesman added that Merseyflow is working with Halton Borough Council and is a member of the local authority’s Halton Enterprise Partnership (HEP), whose Ways To Work programme gives residents a chance to rejoin the workforce.

The HEP provides interview skills and advice on preparing and submitting a CV. Participants also complete a sixweek customer service course and learn maths, English and computer skills.

The spokesman said Merseyflow has hired more than 50 recruits who completed the course.

Mersey Gateway backers said the project was expected to create 4,640 permanent jobs,

Beatriz Fuentes, human resources manager at Merseyflow’s parent company Emovis, said: “It’s the early stages of the project and we still have a long way to go to implement everything we want for our team members but already we’re seeing lots of success stories.

“Since we started we have recruited 180 employees, some from other areas of the workforce and some from long-term unemployment.

“More than 95% of our employees live in the Halton area which means Merseyflow is helping contribute to the local economy too.

“This means we’re providing people with help for that vital first step back into work.”

Michelle Dalton, 49, of Runcorn, started work at the Merseyflow call centre last year and has now moved into its fleet services team.

She said she has a varied role, which attracted her to the job and that the sixweek Ways To Work course gave her the confidence to start.

Michelle said: “The course provided guidance on preparing my CV and also allowed me to refresh my interview skills. It made a big difference.

“Since I started with Merseyflow, I have really grown in confidence. On a personal level it’s been really good for me.

“I work with a really diverse group of people who range in age from 18 to 65. We all get a buzz from each other.

“In terms of a place to work it’s fun and I really enjoy it.”

Laurie Hamblett, 51, of Runcorn, works as a call centre handler at Merseyflow’s Runcorn contact centre, dealing with incoming calls from customers paying for their trips.

She said: “There’s a great sense of team work in the call centre.

“You can speak to any manager if you have any issue and they’ll always help you.

“The best thing about the company is the strong team spirit and ethic. It’s one of the best companies I’ve worked for in terms of them being there to help you.”