DEVELOPERS have pledged £68million for transport improvements as the Omega negotiations come to a climax.

Warrington Borough Council has been trying to get all the money it can despite the developers claiming they are at the end of the road' when it comes to paying anymore.

A request for a £25m bond to cover potential work at more than 100 other junctions was dismissed as completely unjustified' by the developers' property advisors.

Urgent meetings have been sought to try to resolve the differences and how to deal with the Highways Agency's concerns over traffic overload at junction eight.

The application was supposed to come before the August 16 planning committee - three years after it was submitted. However, it missed that deadline.

The developers have indicated that they consider their present offer clear and significant' and have ruled out several extra demands for money including work for Chapelford Station, and want other spending commitments delayed until traffic levels make them necessary.

John Earle, the borough council's head of service for regeneration, defended the council's tough negotiating position.

He said: "Our line has been entirely responsible and in the best interests of all parties and the communities who would suffer immensely if the right solution to the issue of accommodating the traffic from Omega was not achieved."

Negotiations have been ongoing for months, with final dates being put forward by the council being missed. Gloomier predictions from the developers have proved more realistic.

The Highways Agency has put a freeze on the application until it is happy with redesign proposals for junction eight - and is almost ready to replace the holding direction with a set of conditions for which Omega can go ahead. Ideas include traffic signals on the slip-roads and roundabouts.

The Omega transport strategy does not follow the usual pattern of predicting traffic levels and building roads accordingly.

Instead traffic levels will be closely monitored and new roads built as and when they are needed with traffic trigger levels' setting off each stage of work.

The site will cost £1billion to develop and the delays are building costs for Omega Developers Ltd, which is jointly owned by Miller Group and the Royal Bank of Scotland.

Accounts show that it lost £849,176 in 2004 alone, and carried a £2.45m debt into the next financial year.

A spokesman for Omega Developers Ltd said: "It is hoped that the appropriate package for mitigation measures will be discussed shortly at officer level and will ultimately be passed on for consideration by members."

Omega is expected to directly create in the region of 12,000 jobs over the course of 25 to 30 years.

OMEGA Development Ltd has said it will spend £68,355,000 on transport improvements to satisfy the borough council and the Highways Agency that its application won't clog up the roads.

The company has spent £35m on: A pre-application contribution towards the widening of the M62 and the creation of junction eight.

The company has said it will spend another £33,355,000, which includes: Junction eight improvements.

A rapid transit bus route including works to Delph Lane/Calver Road, Burtonwood Road and Westbrook Way.

Junction improvements at Lingley Green Avenue, the A57 Liverpool Road, Whittle Avenue and Cromwell Avenue.

New bus services between Omega and Birchwood, Newton, and Centre Park, and 25 tram style bus stops for the rapid transit bus.

A 20mph zone in half of Burtonwood village and signs for an HGV ban.

Infrastructure improvements to the A49 Winwick Road.

The company has said it will not support the following council requests: Contributions towards Chapelford Station or a high quality bus link between the town centre and Dallam.

The full junction eight works.

Westbrook Way junction improvements and a bus priority scheme.

Monitoring of more than 100 extra junctions to see if improvements are needed.