EMERGENCY planners have welcomed proposals to build a second bridge in Halton, claiming it would be crucial to the evacuation of the area following a terrorist attack.
Officials, including Peter Fahy, Cheshire chief constable and chairman of the Cheshire, Halton and Warrington Senior Executives Liaison committee, claim a second crossing would improve the response by the emergency services to a range of other incidents including chemical emergencies, floods or similar disasters.
The group, which analyses possible scenarios for disasters, says a second bridge would enable the borough to avoid gridlock in the event of a mass evacuation of the borough.
The bridge would be a further strategic crossing point, alongside the crossings at Birkenhead, the Thelwall Viaduct and the Silver Jubilee Bridge.
Mr Fahy said: &apos;Given the concentration of chemical plants in the Runcorn and Widnes area, we have serious concerns that there is only one crossing which would allow the movement of emergency vehicles and which would enable us to avoid gridlock in the event of a need to evacuate groups of residents.
A second Mersey crossing in Runcorn would provide an important alternative, particularly if the Thelwall Viaduct was affected for any lengthy period of time.
&apos;Traffic flows in the region are bound to increase and it is clearly not good to have so much importance placed on these key crossings,&apos; said Mr Fahy.
The final decision on whether £335m of Government funding will be poured into the bridge project is due in December.
The Mersey Crossing Group claims the second bridge will not only relieve traffic congestion in Halton, but will also have economic benefits for the region as a whole.
Experts estimate the project would generate: 57,000 sq m of additional new and refurbished commercial floor space. 3,350 additional permanent jobs. Thousands more temporary construction jobs. A £90m increase in commercial property values. A 5% increase in average house prices. £15m of additional development value.