Go ahead for £12m link road plans

The new link road has been in the planning for more than six years

Work on a £12m road development in West Yorkshire is set to start in the New Year after the government pledged £6.5m towards the cost of the scheme.

The Glass Houghton Coalfields link road will connect the Normanton by-pass to Leeds Road at Glass Houghton and ease congestion at junction 31 of the M62.

Wakefield City Council has already earmarked land for the road and planning permission has been approved.

Work is expected to begin in July 2007 with the road opening in autumn 2008.

Conditional funding

Deputy leader of Wakefield Council Phil Dobson said: "This is fantastic news for the Wakefield district.

"The relief road has been more than six years in the planning and this is a terrific boost for regeneration.

"The area around junction 31, including the Normanton Industrial Estate, is zoned for development and this can only happen if there are improvements to the road system in the area."

The £6.512m of government funding is conditional on the development being carried out according to the original proposals.

The rest of the money for the road is being provided by private sector businesses, PPG Land (Normanton) Ltd and Waystone Ltd.