A MAJOR milestone has been reached in the Centre Park Link Scheme as the new bridge crossing is installed on schedule.

The £19.89m project, which aims to ease congestion, is set to be fully open to traffic by the end of the year.

Weighing 90 tonnes each, two 46 metre bridge beams have now been lifted into position over the Mersey from Chester Road.

Warrington Borough Council leader, Cllr Russ Bowden, explained: "The new river bridge link will bring huge benefits to Warrington, relieving traffic congestion and increasing the resilience and reliability of the highway network.

"I’m really pleased that construction works are progressing well.

Warrington Guardian:

"Centre Park Link is a key part of our work to improve traffic flows in and around our town centre, improve air quality and make Warrington a more attractive place to live work and invest.

"We are now seeing the pieces of this vital infrastructure investment coming together, and we can really begin to look forward to the official opening of the link later this year."

Warrington Borough Council’s cabinet member for transportation, highways and public realm, Cllr Hans Mundry, added: "The Centre Park Link scheme continues to progress fantastically well, and this is a hugely important milestone for the project.

"We know how important a new river crossing is to our plans to reduce congestion, improve journey times and keep the town centre moving.

"It’s great news that construction on the bridge is moving forward."

Warrington Guardian:

The new bridge crossing, just north of Gainsborough Road, will join onto an extended Slutchers Lane, leading from Wilson Patten Street.

A signal controlled junction is to be constructed at each end of the new link on Chester Road and Wilson Patten Street.

A number of partners have provided the funding for the £19.89 million project.

£5.3 million has been contributed by the Cheshire and Warrington Local Enterprise Partnership via the Local Growth Fund.

Government, via Homes England, has contributed £3.7 million as part of the Housing Infrastructure Fund.

The remainder of the funding comes from council borrowing.

For more information about Centre Park Link, visit warrington.gov.uk/centreparklink.