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Work to start on £19m Merseyside link road project

Preliminary work for the Thornton to Switch Island Link Road in Sefton is finally set to start.

Sefton Council says that the full construction project can only begin once the scheme has final approval from the Department for Transport, but the first stage of work is seen as another major milestone.

Currently it is hoped that the main work will begin by the end of November.

In the coming days, contractors will mark out the route of the long-awaited bypass offering the first physical glimpse of where the road will be built.

A mechanical digger will also be used to make a number of trenches as part of the survey work required to meet planning conditions for the £19m road.

Cllr John Fairclough, Sefton’s Cabinet Member for Transportation, said: “These are exciting times in this long link road journey. In the next few days the route will be set out with marker posts now that the council has formally acquired the necessary land and legal orders.

“Later in November, our contractors Balfour Beatty are due to move on site and this will include setting up the main works compound which will be adjacent to Brickwall Lane.”

Cllr Peter Dowd, Leader of Sefton Council, said: “A lot of planning and legal work has been going on behind the scenes for many months and I can assure residents that we are all really keen to get the main work underway as quickly as possible.

“The road will not only bring huge benefits for people travelling through the area but will significantly improve the environment for local residents in Thornton and Netherton.”

The new road will be called the A5758 Broom’s Cross Road. Broom’s Cross is the site of a medieval wayside cross near Thornton.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Simon Malia .