Halton ‘optimistic’ over Mersey Gateway CSR outcome

Halton Council is remaining optimistic about funding being secured for a second bridge to be built across the River Mersey, prior to the comprehensive spending review.

The Mersey Gateway project, connecting Runcorn to Widnes, will cost £431m to build and previously had the backing of £86m from the Government's Department for Transport, which is now under review.

A spokesperson from the Mersey Gateway project team at Halton Council, told Place: "We are yet to see any detail around what funding arrangements have been agreed within Government, but we remain cautiously optimistic that we will be able to take this vitally important project for Halton and the wider North West forward towards fruition."

The Department for Transport told Place in June that it will need an idea from the local authority on whether extra funding from the council, or private sources, can be sought for the project.

The project is one of the schemes being showcased at the Liverpool Pavillion at the World Expo in Shanghai, due to end on 31 October.

In May, Liverpool Vision announced that a Chinese investment company, Pudong Development Agency, was in discussions about investing in the project with Halton Council's chief executive David Parr.

Chancellor George Osborne, speaking on BBC's Andrew Marr Show on Sunday, also said the project was "going to go ahead".

The comprehensive spending review will be announced by the Treasury on Wednesday.

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Good to see that Halton Council is remaining ‘optomistic’ because until the spending reivew is announced Councils across the country know nothing! Where is all the private sector support do they not use the Runcorn/Widnes bridge?

By Ben

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