THE LARGEST freight park in Europe, on track to create up to 5,000 new jobs, has been launched on Halton's riverbank, writes Barbara Jordan.
Trains from all over the continent are set to deliver items ranging from soup and water to car parts and washing machines - taking 40,000 HGVs off the road.
"It will be international and put Halton at the centre of the universe," said AHC Distribution group chairman Jim Quinn, the Widnes entrepreneur who masterminded the Ditton freight village vision.
"This will be a unique gateway site, create employment and support local shops and services."
Drawbridge Securities is pumping £65m to turn contaminated brownfield land at West Bank Dock into 'Innovis', a rail linked warehousing hub.
It will be their first rail freight port, part of a £500m investment, creating 10,000 jobs at rail parks throughout Britain.
To ensure a constant stream of goods, Mr Quinn has secured £2.5m European cash to develop a unique rail ferry, linking Hull to Amsterdam.
"Trains will go straight onto the ferry, 40 carriages, three sailings a day," explained Mr Quinn. "Cargo can go direct to and from Holland, Germany, France, Spain and Italy.
"It's all set up to start in nine months."
The new link is essential, he stressed, to cater for chemical cargo, banned from using the tunnel.
"Widnes was the first rail dock in the world in 1847. All I'm doing is turning full circle and bringing it back."
Mr Quinn already runs a flourishing international warehousing and distribution business, with its own international freight terminal. Halton MP Derek Twigg, who dug the first sod, said: "This is an excellent example of investment, getting more and more vehicles off the road."
Cllr Rob Polhill, board member for transportation, said: "I'm really pleased Jim never gave up this vision. He was like a rottweiler, determined to make it happen."
