THE quest for a new £335m Mersey crossing will be top of the agenda at a London reception today (Wednesday).

MPs from all over the north west have been invited to the City Inn, Westminster for an update on the campaign.

"The Government decision is expected shortly and securing the support of MPs from Merseyside and Manchester is an important part our campaign," said Halton Council leader, Cllr Tony McDermott, chairman of the Mersey crossing group.

"They can help influence the key decision makers in Whitehall."

A Government decision on the proposed new bridge is expected before Christmas.

If approved, construction could start in 2005, with the crossing open to traffic in 2008, the same time as Liverpool becomes European City of Culture.

A design and route have been chosen, after years of campaigning and painstaking research.

The planned crossing links Runcorn's Central Expressway in Astmoor to the Eastern Bypass in Widnes, ultimately joining Speke Road.

It would attract 90 per cent of traffic using the existing bridge.

Engineers have designed a double decker two lane dual carriageway, with hard shoulders, enabling future widening to three lanes. Public transport, walking and cycling would be separated from vehicles.