WIRRAL Council faces a near doubling of the bill for repair works to a major road through the borough.

The works to repair a bridge on the Rock Ferry bypass will also take an extra two months to complete – adding to misery for drivers using the route.

Wirral Council cabinet member for streetscene, Cllr Lesley Rennie, said the increases to the bill have “been scrutinised by myself” and said she was satisfied there was no alternative.

The bill will rise from £274,318 to approximately £475,000, representing an increase to the contract sum of £200,681 or 73%.

Cllr Rennie said the extra cost could result in a “slight” impact on other projects, but said the director of technical services was writing to the Department of Transport asking for additional funding.

Cllr Rennie said: “But there is money in the capital programme to do this, it can be contained within the budget. We might have to make a slight adjustment with the timing of other projects, but nothing will slip because of it. However, we hope the Department of Transport will be able to help and that it doesn’t come to that.”

The work is being carried out to the Dell Underpass, a three-span reinforced concrete bridge carrying the A41 dual carriageway – Rock Ferry bypass – across The Dell, in the Rock Ferry District.