Nigel Cossons of Gifford delivers evidence on Halton toxic land issue at Mersey Gateway inquiry

Jun 4 2009 by Oliver Clay, Runcorn and Widnes Weekly News

A GEOLOGIST has given evidence on the issue of contaminated land at the public inquiry into the Mersey Gateway project.

Nigel Cossons, of Gifford – an engineering consultancy contracted by the MG team – said areas such as Wigg Island and St Michael’s Golf Course had been assessed on a ‘worst case scenario’ basis.

He considered that during construction trespassers, builders, and residents living within 50-100m of construction sites could potentially be at risk from inhaling or contacting toxic substances.

Mr Cossons said challenges faced by any project included ‘extensive’ contamination in Widnes’s ground and groundwater, contaminated saltmarsh, and ‘ground gasses and volatile vapours’.

He said that once the bridge was up and running, trespassers, maintenance workers and toll booth staff could potentially be at risk from contamination.

But he added that protective measures could make the project meet legal requirements.

He said contamination would be left in the ground where possible and that toll booth staff and bridge users would work and travel well above the suspect zones.

He said contaminated saltmarsh would be fenced off and cattle on the marshes would not be eaten until ‘potential risks had been established’.

He claimed that Halton would benefit from the toxic land being developed and cut off from residents’ access. He told the planning inspector that Halton Borough Council will ensure the land is properly managed in the future.