BOOTLE will see 50,000 fewer lorries on its roads every year because a railway cutting has been officially brought back to life. The reopening of the Olive Mount chord, which has been redundant for more than 20 years after a signal box was sabotaged, will see freight companies ditch lorries and revert to using the Bootle branch line to transport goods. The project also means the potential creation of hundreds of handling jobs at Bootle docks, with the port expected to take a large chunk of the 50 per cent of imports destined for northern England which presently enter the UK’s southern ports at Southampton and London. According to a document from the Northern Way – one of the partners involved in the link’s renaissance – the project is “expected to reduce the growth in the number of heavy goods vehicles accessing the port by potentially as many as 50,000 lorry journeys per year.” Netherton Councillor and Merseytravel chairman Mark Dowd, who once was once a driver on the line, told the Bootle Times: “The magnitude of this project is huge. It will reduce the amount of lorries travelling down Dunnings Bridge Road and that means fewer accidents, which is fantastic news for the people of Bootle. “With that comes a reduction in pollution and that means Bootle people will live healthier lives.” The document also says the project will facilitate the further growth of the port and its contribution to the economy. Northern Way chairman Neville Chamberlain said: "The Port of Liverpool is the leading container port in the north and plays a leading role nationally in serving the important North America and Irish markets. “The Mersey Ports deliver almost £1bn into the economy each year. "Disused for twenty years, the reconstruction of Olive Mount Chord has restored direct access to and from the Port of Liverpool towards the West Coast Mainline. It avoids the need for freight trains to reverse near Liverpool Lime Street Station and therefore frees up important capacity for passenger trains as well. “Importantly the project also allows the modern larger containers to access the port by rail." Joe Pilkington of St George of England Specialist Engineering College, said: ‘’The sheer amount of traffic going through Bootle is dangerous at times. It’s great to have lorries off the road.’’ | 
Article
