Bid to cut traffic from ‘lower value’ car trips on Halton's Silver Jubilee Bridge

May 28 2009 by Mark Smith, Runcorn and Widnes Weekly News

A TRANSPORT expert says congestion will become the norm on the Silver Jubilee Bridge unless the scheme is given the go ahead.

Speaking at the public inquiry, Mersey Gateway consultant Alan Pauling said that the existing crossing is already working to capacity.

And he added that if traffic levels continued to grow, the congestion problems currently experienced during rush hour would be seen through the rest of the day.

He also said that if the project was given the green light, tolls were likely to deter what he termed ‘lower value’ trips, while ‘higher value’ business traffic would increase.

He said: “Peak hour capacity on the Silver Jubilee Bridge has been reached. Peak hour traffic growth, over the period 2006-2015, across the Mersey is predicted to be 10%, with none of that growth occurring on the bridge.

“Daily traffic growth across the Mersey, between and including the tunnels and the M6, will be 15% by 2015 and 23% by 2030.

“What this means in the absence of the project is that traffic conditions currently experienced at the Silver Jubilee Bridge during peak hours will extend across the working day.”

He added: “Car trips are likely to be affected to a significantly greater extent (by tolls) than either light or heavy goods vehicle trips, as the impact of the project is largely determined by the ability to pay (travel costs).”