THE new bridge across the Mersey will contribute £373m to the nation’s economy, an inquiry has heard.
Predictions into how the Mersey Gateway Project will benefit the region show it will add £373m to the country’s Gross Domestic Product.
On a local level, it will fuel a 66% rise in employment and save businesses £222m in lost time and money.
Graham Russell, a planner and economist acting on behalf of Halton Council, told the inquiry that a new bridge “underpins future employment forecasts.”
He said Halton and Warrington were expected to see significant increases in employment levels if the project went ahead.
Mr Russell said regeneration and growth in typically deprived areas were only possible if key projects, including the new bridge, went ahead.
During the three-year construction of the bridge, he said 3,700 hours of employment would be generated, with an additional 470 permanent full-time jobs created in the North West lasting at least 10 years.
The whole project is predicted to create 1,600 jobs in Halton by 2025.
Across some of Merseyside’s most deprived wards, known as Regeneration Areas (Ras), Mr Russell said 4,640 new jobs would be created.
In addition, some 2,970 employment opportunities are expected to directly benefit residents in RAs by 2030.
Although he said the new bridge would also increase competition for jobs, efficient access to the area will make commuting easier for people outside the borough.
