Warrington to become a Port?

[ReaderComment]

Origional article

 

Peter Turner said this.

I hope that the Highways Department have got their plans in the pipeline to deal with the increase in traffic.

 

Baz said this

Of course they have Peter.... they'll stick more traffic lights in like they do everywhere else in the town!![/url]

[Bill]

It was bad enough forty years ago when traffic congestion wasn?t the issue it is today so bringing back the shipping now would cause major havoc. Also if you think about it, is it right to think about investing in such projects given the main docks in Liverpool have been in decline for ages?

 

I reckon this one of those stories that grab the headlines for a few days but are never heard of again.

 

Bill

[observer]

Nothing new in the idea; in the days of sail, Warrington produced sail for the RN, and barges transported goods down the R.Mersey. The MSC was built to allow Manchester to compete with Liverpool.

[Gary]

 

I reckon this one of those stories that grab the headlines for a few days but are never heard of again.

 

Bill

 

I have added the link on the story now Bill - I have done this a few times now but obviously am out and about and not always able to get access to a computer.

Feel free to carry on what you are doing and I will add the links to the forum at the bottom of the stories when I find a moment.

[Dizzy]

The MSC was built to allow Manchester to compete with Liverpool.

 

True Obs although Peel Ports own Liverpool Port now

 

Will the 'concept' (as that is all it is at the moment) actually benefit Warrington or are we just the 'piggy in the middle' that has to be passed through

 

Actually I should say concepts as it a sort of amalgamation of the Government NWDA's ?Atlantic Gateway? and Peel?s "Ocean gateway" hence the name "Atlantic (Ocean) Initiative"

 

Will be a hard thing to implement though as they will have to gain approval from all authorities and I would imagine it would take a long long time to come up with a solution to the roads, bridges and traffic problems that the gateway may cause

[inky pete]

I think it might well depend on the sort of freight traffic which is proposed to use the canal.

 

Strings of flat bottomed barges, either self powered or towed by smallish tugs, could easily pass under the swing bridges without opening them. Even stacked 2 high with standard freight containers I reckon there would still be enough clearance. If they're looking to link in with rail freight, then we probably are talking about containerised freight. It's the just the current crop of gas tankers and bulk cereal carriers with the odd sightseeing bost which require the bridges to be opened.

[Dizzy]

Never though of the smaller types of boats such as barges Inky. I presumed it meant the huge ones that go down which make my windows rattle.

 

Just been told that other privately owned 'pleasure' boats can actually go on the MSC too and there is a link from the Bridgewater Canal ? somewhere. They apparently need to be certified, have insurance, a mobile phone and give 48 hours notice to the harbour master

 

Now that could be interesting

[observer]

We used to go begging the yanky seamen for chewing gum at latchford locks; maybe it will be Chinese or Indian seaman from now on?!

[Victor]

Dismayed wrote.....

They apparently need to be certified, have insurance, a mobile phone and give 48 hours notice to the harbour master

 

You certainly would need to be certified to go on the Manchester Ship Canal in a private boat

[Evil Sid]

i think the access to the ship canal is around the frodsham area and links to the weaver.

[vic]

Dismayed wrote.....

They apparently need to be certified, have insurance, a mobile phone and give 48 hours notice to the harbour master

 

You certainly would need to be certified to go on the Manchester Ship Canal in a private boat

 

It's a doddle. http://www.johndavies.org/pic-shipcanal06-narrowboats.jpg

http://www.tuesdaynightclub.co.uk/Tour_02/Tour02_27.html

 

Get on to the canal at Salford Quays off the Bridgewater Canal, or off the Weaver Navigation (via Anderton Lift), or at Ellesmere Port off the Shropshire Union, or at Eastham Locks onto the Mersey - and then into Liverpool and into the docks (used to be past the Pier Head to Stanley Dock) and then via the new link to the Leeds & Liverpool Canal.

 

"Port Warrington" would be west of the swing bridges in Warrington, and I doubt there's much commercial advantage in putting freight on a barge between Warrington and Salford (through several sets of locks). So it's unlikely to be a problem for the existing swing bridges, and any major development of the site will need the infrastructure to cope. The main issue would be road traffic to the site; if they build a new bridge over the Ship Canal it could form part of a west Warrington bypass, if they rely on Moore swingbridge for access that would surely need a new road to the A56 (or A558).