Work will begin in earnest in the New Year on the Heysham to M6 Link Road after the government confirmed funding for the scheme.
The Department for Transport has finalised its £111m contribution towards the road today, a route which which will link the Heysham Peninsula to the M6 motorway, marking the start of a new era for economic growth and improved transport.
It allows Lancashire County Council to enter into a contract with Costain and get underway with construction in early January 2014.
County Councillor John Fillis, cabinet member for highways and transport, said: “The link road supports our aspiration to build a strong economic infrastructure throughout Lancashire.
“Around 3,000 people are due to be employed during construction of the road, and up to 100 local unemployed people will receive training and jobs during construction.
“I recently visited the depot and 90 per cent of the staff employed on site lived in an LA postcode area.
“The road also provides excellent value for money in terms of considerable benefits for local traffic, businesses and employment,” he claims, “while acting as a catalyst for wider economic growth. A study has predicted that every £1 invested in the link road will earn £4.40 for the economy.
“The link road has long been one of our top priority transport schemes, and I’m very pleased we now have everything in place to move ahead with building it.
“For a scheme that was first conceived before I was born I would like to thank all those people who have work so hard on this project, they are a credit to their community and the county council. I have been proud to sign the approvals for the scheme.”
The Council says the link road will provide better access to Morecambe and industrial areas which include the Port of Heysham and the Heysham power stations.
Costain recently began constructing an area to accommodate staff, offices and equipment needed to build the link road at an army camp on Halton Road leased from the Ministry of Defence.
Terms have been negotiated with Costain that gives an estimated construction cost of £124.5m. Lancashire County Council will fund the remainder following the DfT’s £111m contribution and fund the preparation costs of £5.7m.
• Lancashire County Council has redesigned the website for the project to make it easy for you to stay up to date throughout construction. Search for Heysham Link at www.lancashire.gov.uk
While the county council puts 18 million into a road that really just services international freight they are cutting 38% across the board from other services to help pay for it. Bus routes, social care, museums and arts, hundreds of jobs, closure of Skerton School. So the social fabric is wrecked even more.