The UK Government has agreed to provide nearly £142.5m for the construction of the Western Link road project that is hoped to cut traffic congestion in Cheshire by 30%.

The entire project is expected to cost approximately £212m and Warrington Borough Council has committed to providing £70.2m.

Upon completion, the new road will connect the A56 at Chester Road with the A57 at Sankey Way, while also creating a new crossing point over the River Mersey.

It will also reduce traffic jam and support the development of up to 24,000 new homes in the region.

UK Roads Minister Jesse Norman said: “The new Western Link Road will significantly benefit both road users and residents in Warrington, and is the latest instalment of the government’s record £13bn investment in transport across the north of England.”

“It will allow major improvements to be made to access in and around the town centre, by all types of transport.”

The Western Link Road is expected to provide an additional important link between the north and south of Warrington, and help divert shipping traffic away from the town centre.

In addition, the road is intended to cut congestion near Warrington Bank Quay station, and enhance journey times in and around the town. The project will also see an additional bridge being constructed over the Manchester Shipping Canal.

Funding of Western Link scheme is part of the government’s £13bn investment in northern transport, which includes Highways England’s £1.5bn to improve motorways and major A-roads in the north-west, along with £1.57bn from the growth deal for more than 60 transport schemes in the region until 2021.

Warrington Borough Council highways and transportation executive board member Cllr Hans Mundry said: “The Western Link is a critical part of the Council’s Local Transport Plan 4 (LTP4) proposals. It will allow major improvements to be made to access in and around the town centre, by all types of transport.”

Construction on the new road project is likely to commence in early 2021.