Banks bail-out will not affect bridge project

Oct 16 2008 by Mark Smith, Runcorn and Widnes Weekly News

THE Government’s massive bail-out of the banking system will not affect funding for the Mersey Gateway Project, say planners.

News that the Treasury had recently agreed to inject £37b. into the UK financial sector as part of a wider £500b. package had sparked fears that some major capital projects could be axed.

However, planners behind the £431m Mersey Gateway scheme, which is due to go before a public inquiry, said the crucial Government funding needed to build the new bridge and re-develop the surrounding road network has already been secured.

And they added that despite Gordon Brown’s recent announcement of emergency funding for the financial system, they do not foresee any drop in the amount of tax-payers’ cash allocated to the scheme.