PEOPLE across Merseyside and Cheshire are being encouraged by Highways England to take part in consultations for 2 major road improvements delivering better journeys and a multi million pound boost for the local and regional economy.

The 6 week public consultations over the shortlisted options for a brand new Junction 11a, along the M56 near Runcorn in Cheshire; serving the new Mersey Gateway bridge; and improvements to the A5036 Port of Liverpool route in Merseyside, will start, on Monday, 16 January 2017 and will be accompanied by a series of public information events.

Proposals for improving the busy A5036, Port of Liverpool link, are designed to tackle congestion and make journeys more reliable

Money for each of the improvements is included in the Government's £15 billion Road Investment Strategy. As well as improving journeys for commuters and commercial road users, the improvements will support future investment in jobs and housing.

Jacqui Allen, Highways England's Regional Investment Manager for the North, said:- "We have done a lot of work on both proposals since public awareness events last year and the consultations over the next few weeks provide an opportunity for people using or living near the A5036 or M56 to help us determine which of the options to take forward to the next stage of design for a start of work before the end of 2020."

While the options for the A5036 link between the motorway network, at Switch Island and the Port of Liverpool, remain a choice between improving the existing road or building a brand new bypass through Rimrose Valley, some of the ideas have changed. New plans include modifying suggested junction improvements along the existing road to reduce the impact for local people.

Options for the new M56 Junction 11a include 2 different ideas for modifying the existing Murdishaw Roundabout with the A553 Southern Expressway. In addition to this new junction there is also a plan to build a small roundabout North of the West Coast Main Line to provide the westbound entry and exit slip roads, for the M56. An option for a new junction West of Murdishaw Roundabout has now been discounted.

Aerial view of M56 and existing layout of Murdishaw Roundabout along the local road network

More information, including consultation brochures and electronic versions of the questionnaires, as well as details of the consultation events, will be available online from Monday, 16 January 2017, for M56 and the
Port projects.