THE £20.5 million Warrington West railway station in Chapelford has scooped a top award.

Civil engineers from across the north west were invited to join an online awards ceremony to hear which people and projects had won a coveted ICE North West Civil Engineering Award.

Nine winners were announced, including honours for the best large, medium and small projects.

Warrington West railway station, which opened in December, secured the Large Project Award.

Emma Antrobus, director of ICE North West, said: “Our annual awards showcase some of the fantastic civil engineering across the region.

“Following the cancellation of our physical event, we have pulled together to deliver the awards online, shining a light on some of the most innovative and impactful engineering recently completed within the region.

“It is a particularly challenging time but we felt it was right to help spread some positivity and showcase the important role that civil engineers play in terms of working to build a better world.”

During the council’s cabinet meeting on Monday, members noted a report from leader Cllr Russ Bowden, who used emergency procedures to ensure the council did not miss out on securing more than £4 million towards the cost of Warrington West.

The council put more than £7.38 million towards the scheme.

The funding package also included £6.53 million from Cheshire and Warrington Local Enterprise Partnership’s local growth fund, £1.85 million from section 106 agreements and developer contributions and £4.23 million from the Department for Transport’s New Stations Fund.

But Cllr Bowden made a decision under ‘special urgency provisions’ to sign an asset purchase agreement to secure the £4.23 million before a deadline to avoid the ‘very significant risk’ of the funding being lost.

He said it was a ‘sensible’ outcome which protected the interests of the council.

Cllr Bowden also stated it ensured the authority did not end up with a significant capital funding shortfall.

He added: “Obviously in the current times, particularly around funding (during) austerity, that would have been an unacceptable position for us to be in.”