TRAFFIC in Birchwood has been cut by more than 10 per cent in the wake of £5m roadworks in the area.

The £5.32m Birchwood Pinch Point project saw full-time traffic lights installed at the Oakwood Gate ‘dog bone’ roundabout, Moss Gate roundabout converted into a four-way traffic light junction and the town’s first bus-only road installed between Ordnance Avenue and Faraday Street.

A new traffic survey by Warrington Borough Council has found that traffic on roads in the area has reduced by 12 per cent, with journey times cut by up to nine minutes.

Martin O’Rouke, commercial director at Birchwood Park Business Park, said: “We identified accessibility to the park as an area where we could drive improvement and we are happy to now see our customers and the local community reaping the benefits of this project.

“The council listened when we raised concerns around congestion as a barrier to growth in Birchwood and worked closely with us to devise a solution.

“With these significant improvements we can change perceptions and ensure the park remains a competitive destination for business that will continue to attract new companies for years to come.”

Beginning in July 2015, work on the Pinch Point project was completed in March.

Surveyors compared journey times and traffic counts from 2015 and 2016 on major routes to and from Birchwood Park.

Despite the level of vehicles on Birchwood remaining the same, journey times were cut by an average five minutes eastbound in the morning rush hour, with a similar reduction on Oakwood Gate.

The survey also found that journey times dropped by an average of nine minutes along the eastbound section of the northern orbital route in the morning.

Kenneth Seaward, facilities manager at Birchwood Park-based property management company Atkins, said: “Since the project was completed our staff have commented on the vast improvements to their journey times to and from work.

“The access to the motorway at night is much better and journey times are less stressful, making life a lot easier for staff and visitors to the park.

“Birchwood Park’s connectivity to the north west’s main cities was one of the biggest factors in our decision to move to the park and it is great to see the improvements that have been undertaken to ensure this remains a huge benefit for residents here.”