AN ANGRY resident who would live in the shadow of a new Mersey bridge has spoken of his fears about traffic speeding past his home.
Mark McLaughlin, representing Runcorn residents who will be affected by the proposed crossing, said the £421m project was a scandal that would damage their health.
He told the public inquiry the new bridge and associated re-routing of traffic would mean more cars and HGVs using the Central Expressway which passes his house on Halton Lodge Estate.
Mr McLoughlin said Lodge Lane junction, close to the estate, was well known for accidents and accused the planners of making alterations to the bend which would mean vehicles could travel faster.
He quizzed the councils air quality expert Yvonne Brown, on whether sufficient studies had been carried on of the effects on pollution with the extra cars.
She claimed all the necessary tests had been carried out and concluded that a rise in annual concentrations of NO along the Central Expressway would be low and well below government levels.
