DEPUTY Prime Minister John Prescott has been thanked for giving his backing to the Shavington Bypass.

Council leader, Peter Kent, has sent him a letter expressing the borough's gratititude for his "sympathetic consideration" as Transport Minister.

The go-ahead for the A500 relief road was part of the government's recent roads programme and has been hailed by council and business chiefs as "the best news in years".

They claim if will bring more industry and jobs as well as diverting traffic from the villages of Weston, Hough and Shavington.

Cllr Kent has told Mr Prescott that planners can now work to a realistic vision of Crewe and the whole sub-region surrounding it, stepping forward with confidence into the new millennium.

"I have also asked him when we may expect work to begin as any information he could give us at this stage would be very helpful," said Cllr Kent.

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