TRANSPORT bosses will re-calculate the cost of the proposed Western Link bypass in Warrington after the estimated price ballooned – as uncertainty remains over whether it will be built.

The route has been planned to connect the A56 Chester Road with the A57 Sankey Way in Great Sankey. It had been estimated to cost around £212.7 million.

The Government previously confirmed, in principle, it will put £142.5 million towards the controversial scheme, with the council planning to contribute £70.2 million.

But, as reported in October 2022, the council said the latest cost estimate it had supplied to the Department for Transport amounted to around £269 million – an increase of more than £56 million.

Question marks continue to be raised over whether the proposed bypass will be built.

The issue arose during the full council meeting on Monday.

Cllr Matt Scott, Liberal Democrat, put forward a question to council leader Cllr Hans Mundry, Labour.

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He asked: “The council’s local development plan identifies the need for a new or replacement high-level crossing of the Manchester Ship Canal between Ackers Road, Stockton Heath and Station Road, Latchford.

“The 2021 infrastructure delivery plan gives an indicative cost of £55m. What progress has been made on drawing up proposals and funding and is this bridge just a dream or will it ever become a reality?”

In response, Cllr Mundry said looking at a high-level crossing, or high-level bridge, is ‘not in isolation’ and it was ‘linked’ into the Western Link.

He said the Western Link scheme has been ‘in the Government’s hands for some time now’ – and council officers have been asked to do an update with ‘new costings’.

Cllr Mundry described it as a ‘much-needed’ scheme, and that it is ‘not a bridge on its own’ and ‘not a road on its own’.

Following this, Cllr Scott said his question specifically referred to a new or replacement crossing between Stockton Heath and Latchford.

“Are we to understand that that’s no longer on the table?” he asked.

Cllr Mundry said the council keeps ‘everything on the table’ where it possibly can, but said the council is ‘not looking at anything in isolation’.