BUILDING a new £200m road through a country park to the Port of Liverpool was last night put firmly back on the table – after being shelved two years ago.

The main route to the port from the motorway network – Dunnings Bridge Road – will have reached ‘tipping point’ within eight years, a study into access to the port has concluded.

While building a new road between Crosby and Litherland is the most expensive and least green option, a new report reveals it produces the best result for the local economy.

The Dunnings Bridge Road (A5036) route from Switch Island to the port through Bootle and Litherland is already one of the busiest roads in Europe.

Increasing rail freight and the use of barges on the Manchester ship canal to distribute containers, will help mitigate some of the worst congestion. But, before 2030, dramatic action must be taken, the report warns.

Road improvements, widening the crucial route, or building a new access road through the Rimrose Valley park will be needed.

If a new road were built it would cut the country park in half and meet the new planned Thornton link road which already has funding.

The Port of Liverpool is due to undergo a massive expansion over the next 20 years.

The plans by Peel Ports could see the creation of 7,500 jobs and include a new deepwater container terminal, and huge new warehouses.

But the plans will lead to an explosion in port-related traffic.

At present, 350 lorries enter or leave the port every hour, and 70% use the Dunnings Bridge Road route.