Four major road schemes in Warrington are still on the cards, but they need funding to go ahead. The Warrington Local Plan document has revealed that land will be 'safeguarded' for these projects.
These include the Western Link bypass and a new or replacement high-level crossing of the Manchester Ship Canal between Ackers Road, Stockton Heath, and Station Road, Latchford. The Bridge Foot link, previously known as the Bridge Foot bypass, is also included, which aims to improve access between development sites at the north end of Centre Park, Warrington Bank Quay station and the wider town centre.
The Warrington East multi-modal corridor improvement is also planned, connecting Birchwood to central Warrington via Birchwood Way, allowing future highway and public transport improvements to support Warrington's growth.
However, there is ongoing uncertainty about whether the Western Link scheme will proceed due to rising costs. The route, designed to connect the A56 Chester Road with the A57 Sankey Way in Great Sankey, was estimated to cost around £212.7 million. The Government has confirmed in principle that it will contribute £142.5 million towards the scheme, with the council planning to add £70.2 million.
But in October 2022, the council reported that the cost estimate provided to the Department for Transport had surged by over £56 million to approximately £269 million.
A council spokesperson stated last month in response to queries on the timeline for a decision from the Government: "We are unable to confirm at this stage when a decision will be made on the scheme."
Asked if it still planned to deliver the other three schemes and secure the land, a council spokesperson said: "Yes, land continues to be safeguarded for these schemes."
They added: "This safeguarding was put in place as part of Local Plan process and is fully justified, and there are no plans to change this."
Warrington's Local Plan outlines the statutory planning framework that guides borough development strategies from 2021-22 through to 2038-39.
When asked whether they foresee the completion of each of the four proposals by 2039, the spokesperson said: "If work to develop these schemes shows that they have strong business cases, then it would be intended they would be delivered before 2039."
They added that these projects could significantly alleviate congestion in key parts of the town, including the town centre.
"They would all contribute in this regard, encouraging more people to use public transport, walk and cycle," the spokesperson stated. However, they added that these initiatives "will require Government funding and developer funding to proceed".
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