Transport Minister, Carl Sargeant, will today attend a turf cutting ceremony to officially start work on a new access road to Wrexham’s Industrial Estate.
The £35m scheme, which will bring huge benefits to the businesses and workers on the Estate, will provide new and improved north and south access from major road networks into Wrexham.
The Minister for Transport said:
“We fully recognise the importance to the area of a good road link to the Wrexham Industrial Estate that will have a real positive impact to local business and reduce congestion.”
“This £35m project is a good example of Welsh Government working closely with the local authority to deliver local priorities.”
“Despite a tough financial settlement we remain fully committed to further improving the transport infrastructure in Wales and today’s event is testimony to that commitment.”
Also attending the ceremony will be the Mayor of Wrexham, Cllr Ian Roberts, accompanied by the Wrexham Council’s Lead Member for Environment and Transport, Cllr David Bithell and contractors Birse Civils Ltd.
Councillor David A Bithell, Deputy Leader of the Council and Lead Member, Environment and Transport said,
“I am proud and delighted as this heralds the start of construction works on the new access roads to Wrexham Industrial Estate.
“We are grateful for the financial support provided by the Welsh Government for the preparation and delivery of this scheme, which should see both the northern and southern access roads to the Industrial Estate fully open to traffic by the end of summer next year.
“This will help to make businesses on the Industrial Estate more competitive and the Industrial Estate more attractive to inward investment. We can now face the future with greater confidence.
“I look forward to watching the works progress in the coming months and wish all involved the greatest success.”
Dave Lowiss, Regional Managing Director with Birse Civils Ltd, said:
“Birse Civils are looking forward to delivering this key project with Wrexham County Borough Council to improve access for the many businesses on the industrial estate. We will be liaising closely with them and other stakeholders to keep them informed of progress, and will endeavour to minimise any disruption to their day to day business.”
Specialists were called in to help protect wildlife that were identified in and around the site including great crested newts, bats and badgers, all of which are protected species.
Badgers now have new homes and fences have been put up to prevent newts entering the site after a fingertip search resulted in their removal to a safeguarded area close by that is now known locally as “Newtopia”.
Works to prepare the site took place during the last autumn period and work is expected to be completed by the end of summer 2012.
