Mersey Gateway Backed Despite Cost Escalation

[LordofAndromeda]

     Resimlerin Görüntülenmesine İzin Verilmiyor
Resimleri Görebilmek İçin Üye Ol veya Giriş Yap

   Halton Borough Council gave the Mersey Gateway project unanimous backing on Wednesday despite the costs rising from £390M to £431M

   The proposed cable stayed bridge across the Mersey between Runcorn and Widnes was given the unanimous backing of Halton Borough Council's full council on Wednesday. They endorsed the the Transport and Works Act (TWA) application, which will grant the authority to build the new bridge and introduce a tolling system.
 
   The endorsement of the full council follows last months decision from Halton's Development Control Committee to refer the planning applications to the Secretary of State.
 
   The total estimated cost of the project (in 2007 prices) has been revised from £390 to £431million. However the council claims that the latest economic estimates show that the economic benefits will be almost four times greater than the cost of the project.

    According to the council, the increase of £41million has been caused by changes to the design, specifically changes made to the existing roadway  such as noise barriers, replacement footbridges and landscaping works, along with additional works to deal with contaminated land in south Widnes and further refinements to the main bridge design required to satisfy CABE (Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment).
 
   The funding agreement already in place with government is sufficient to cover the cost increase.
 
   David Parr, Chief Executive of Halton Borough Council, said: "This is a vitally important scheme that will deliver major benefits to Halton and the surrounding area in years to come. As well as minimising journey times and improving the reliability and resilience of the local and regional road network, it will be the catalyst for new regeneration opportunities, for improvements in sustainable transport links and for transforming parts of the borough."
 
   Steve Nicholson, Project Director for the Mersey Gateway Project, said: "We are very pleased with the progress we are making. The latest benefit cost ratio of 3.9:1 shows that the project remains good value for money, the revised estimates remain affordable and the package will be attractive to private sector partners."
 
   Further key decisions affecting the future of the project will come from the Department for Transport, which is due to consider the TWA application and a series of associated legal orders in the next few months.
 
   Due to the size and importance of the project, a public inquiry is likely. If everything is approved, the new bridge is expected to be open in 2014.

    Source : nce.co.uk