algy Posted February 7, 2011 Report Share Posted February 7, 2011 Warrington is in need of a new river crossing to alleviate traffic congestion in the town, this costly project will not help us. http://www2.halton.gov.uk/merseygateway/ The bridge is going to conect with the A562/A561 Speke road, WHY. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
observer Posted February 7, 2011 Report Share Posted February 7, 2011 Quick getaway for Scousers?! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill Posted February 7, 2011 Report Share Posted February 7, 2011 I don?t think that bridge will do much for Warrington at all. Here?s a couple of pictures lifted from Google maps that show OUR last bridge over the Mersey in Warrington. My thinking is why build a whacking great high level bridge where the rivers at its widest when we can build a simple bridge like this of a fraction of the cost. Bill Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
algy Posted February 7, 2011 Author Report Share Posted February 7, 2011 The only problem with that Bill is they only bridged the River whereas they need the height to clear the MS canal thus a massive span is required. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wolfie Posted February 7, 2011 Report Share Posted February 7, 2011 Warrington is in need of a new river crossing to alleviate traffic congestion in the town, this costly project will not help us. algy the new bridge isn't being built to help us. It's main purpose is to provide a link between the M56 and Liverpool City. The existing bridge will be used for local and public transportation and will mean that the people of Halton will have to pay to get to other parts of the same borough albeit on opposite sides of the river. If you're upset, imagine how they feel. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
inky pete Posted February 7, 2011 Report Share Posted February 7, 2011 I thought that the local residents had been promised a discount on the tolls? Although, from the point of view of people commuting to work, "local" should also encompass most of Cheshire and parts of Greater Manchester! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wolfie Posted February 7, 2011 Report Share Posted February 7, 2011 Not sure that the reduction of a 4 lane bridge to 2 lanes is intended for anyone other than the local - local, ie those who live in Widnes and Runcorn. Not aware that any subsidised tolls have been promised. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dizzy Posted February 7, 2011 Report Share Posted February 7, 2011 The new bridge is part of the Mersey Gateway Project which is in turn part of the huge international Atlantic Gateway Project. The overall aim is to provide a direct link for future traffic including that between Panamax (Liverpool), Port Warrington, Port Salford, Port Wirral, 3 MG Widnes and the Mersey Gateway Port at Runcorn (and others that I've probably forgotton to mention) and this link goes past the outskirts of Warrington not through it. The new bridge wont really make a jot of difference to us on a daily basis and our roads will be just as bad if not worse Only difference it may make is when the Runcorn Widnes Bridge is closed as there will at least be an alternative to traffic being diverted through Warrington town centre Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
inky pete Posted February 7, 2011 Report Share Posted February 7, 2011 The new bridge wont really make a jot of difference to us on a daily basis and our roads will be just as bad if not worse Only difference it may make is when the Runcorn Widnes Bridge is closed as there will at least be an alternative to traffic being diverted through Warrington town centre Since both the new bridge and the - already paid for - old one will become toll bridges then I think we can look forward to lots more traffic diverting through Warrington on a much more regular basis. Maybe the only answer is to put high tolls on all the Warrington bridges and use the money to give Warrington residents a big rebate on their council tax! (If only we could rely on said rebate actually turning up) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill Posted February 7, 2011 Report Share Posted February 7, 2011 Algy We don't need to make em high because unlike Widnes and Runcorn, we alread have a load of low level swing bridges to cross the canal. The span by the way is mainly needed for the Mersey not the canal. So if we're talking about a crossing for Warrington then it's dead easy, we only need a small low level bridge. In fact the one in my pictures could probably be used to dramatically reduce the traffic flow at bridge foot. Bill Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
inky pete Posted February 7, 2011 Report Share Posted February 7, 2011 A quick google turns up a couple of news articles in which Halton councillors are quoted as having promised toll discounts to local residents using the old bridge. The level of the discount is not specified, but since the level of the toll is also being kept secret then it'd be meaningless information anyway. Those behind this scheme are saying the tolls will be "in line with" those of the Mersey tunnels - which are currently among the most expensive river crossing tolls in the country - but then the Toll Order has been granted specifying a maximum toll of ?5 each way for cars and ?20 for HGV's. That's an extra ?50 a week cost for anyone who currently commutes that way! For that sort of money, lots of people will divert round via Warrington or the M6. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
P J Posted February 7, 2011 Report Share Posted February 7, 2011 The impact on Warringtons roads when the toll bridge is operational will be immense, and the higher the tolls the higher the amount of people rounding them and diverting through Warrington. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dizzy Posted February 7, 2011 Report Share Posted February 7, 2011 I was being sarky when I mentioned the alternative option when the Runcorn Bridge is closed Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill Posted February 7, 2011 Report Share Posted February 7, 2011 What they should do is introduce a toll on the existing bridge now and see what happens. That way there can be no argument as to whether or not people will use Warrington avoid paying the toll. This information could well affect the viability of the whole scheme. Bill Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wolfie Posted February 7, 2011 Report Share Posted February 7, 2011 There is no argument now about people using Warrington to avoid the tolls. It wasn't in the equation. As I previously mentioned the new bridge is primarily to provide a link between the M56 and Liverpool and had to be paid for via tolls. To prevent people avoiding the tolls on the new bridge they will also be placed on the old one. That is the only avoidance scheme that was looked at and considered. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
inky pete Posted February 7, 2011 Report Share Posted February 7, 2011 and had to be paid for via tolls. Given that motorists already pay far more in taxes than is spent on the whole of the UK's transport infrastructure - including airports, buses, trains, and some of the highest levels of direct rail fare subsidies this county has ever seen. What possible justification can there be for making a much needed new route subject to an additional cost?????? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bazj Posted February 7, 2011 Report Share Posted February 7, 2011 probably to pay for cycle lanes and 20mph speed limit signs! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill Posted February 8, 2011 Report Share Posted February 8, 2011 Did you notice the cycle lane on the Forrest Way bridge! (second picture ) The thing is if they don?t get it right regarding toll avoidance, then it'll be left for the taxpayer to indirectly pick up the cost, be it from taxes or loss incurred through a private sale. Bill Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silverlady54 Posted February 8, 2011 Report Share Posted February 8, 2011 If the M6 toll is anything to go by, more drivers appear to prefer sitting in a traffic jam on the free road than paying to use the toll! I would have thought that the haulage companies are going to do everything possible to avoid paying tolls with the current sky high petrol prices. It really doesn't bode well for Warrington. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimmyMac Posted February 8, 2011 Report Share Posted February 8, 2011 Did you notice the cycle lane on the Forrest Way bridge! (second picture ) It is the route of the Transpennine Trail though - you know, that coast-to-coast walking and cycling leisure trail Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bazj Posted February 8, 2011 Report Share Posted February 8, 2011 Did you notice the cycle lane on the Forrest Way bridge! (second picture ) It is the route of the Transpennine Trail though - you know, that coast-to-coast walking and cycling leisure trail and the buggers probably still ride 3 abreast on the roads ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AdrianR Posted February 8, 2011 Report Share Posted February 8, 2011 It is an accepted fact that tolling these bridges will increase traffic through Warrington. What we should be asking is why the LTP makes no mention of it and /or a solution for it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter T Posted February 8, 2011 Report Share Posted February 8, 2011 It is an accepted fact that tolling these bridges will increase traffic through Warrington. What we should be asking is why the LTP makes no mention of it and /or a solution for it? Perhaps WBC isn't clever enough? They aren't renowned for making decisions, just destruction. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
inky pete Posted February 8, 2011 Report Share Posted February 8, 2011 If the M6 toll is anything to go by, more drivers appear to prefer sitting in a traffic jam on the free road than paying to use the toll! I would have thought that the haulage companies are going to do everything possible to avoid paying tolls with the current sky high petrol prices. It really doesn't bode well for Warrington. A colleague and I recently both had to be in Warwick for a meeting at 10am on a Monday morning. Probably the worst time of the week to be getting past Birmingham! We ended up almost together on the M6 going south through Stoke and down to Stafford, but he took the toll road while I stuck with the old M6. He arrived at our Warwick office just over 5 minutes ahead of me. That's ?5 spent to save 5 minutes. Who values their time at ?60 per hour? Or ?120 per hour if you're driving an HGV! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
P J Posted February 8, 2011 Report Share Posted February 8, 2011 If the M6 toll is anything to go by, more drivers appear to prefer sitting in a traffic jam on the free road than paying to use the toll! I would have thought that the haulage companies are going to do everything possible to avoid paying tolls with the current sky high petrol prices. It really doesn't bode well for Warrington. That's ?5 spent to save 5 minutes. Who values their time at ?60 per hour? Many people value their time at even higher a rate than this, myself I value good service and punctuality when dealing with a customer much higher than a fiver and certainly don't consider the gamble through Birmingham rush hour sensible or worthwhile if it means I may end up letting that customer down or keeping him waiting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.