Sefton's long awaited Thornton Relief Road has finally been given the greenlight - more than 40 years after the campaign was first launched.The borough's Labour MPs and Councillors have welcomed the news.
Sefton Council's Labour leader, Cllr Peter Dowd, said the road has been a long time coming.
Cllr Dowd said: "We've waited a long time for this. Each time we thought we had passed the final hurdle, another obstacle was placed in our way. But this is finally it.
"I am delighted for the people of Thornton who have campaigned long and hard for this relief road to ease the heavy congestion in the community.
"The rest of the borough will also benefit as congestion on roads throughout Sefton will be eased as the new relief road takes the strain and the £19m investment here will be a major boost for our local economy."
The road will consist of a "single carriageway link road between Thornton (Southport Road, Long Lane and Ince Road junction) and the Switch Island junction".
The scheme also includes: "Amendments to the Vehicle and Operator Services Agency dept at Switch Island, associated landscaping measures, attenuation ponds and traffic management measures on the local highway network."
Cabinet member for transportation, Labour's Cllr John Fairclough, praised Sefton Council officers for "negotiating the detailed technical details" behind the scheme.
Cllr Fairclough said: "Councillors and council officers have put the hours in on finally getting to the stage where we can at last say that the Thornton Relief Road has been given the greenlight.
"That work has involved dealing with all of the very technical legal details involved in a scheme of this magnitude, particularly in relation to building on land which has been owned by the Crown.
"But they have all pulled out the stops and delivered. This is great news for Sefton."
Sefton Central Labour MP Bill Esterson said he was delighted for everyone who had campaign for the road.
Bill said: "Throughout my time in Sefton, the Thornton Relief Road was one of the biggest issues which people raised with me.
"I know that residents, parish councillors and our borough councillors have all worked extremely hard on the campaign to get this road. It is because of that campaign, because of that hard work, that we have now reached this stage.
"This is a massive boost for the infrastructure of Sefton and for the local economy.
"We all expected the worst when the Tory-Lib Dem Government announced they were shelving the plans for the Thornton Relief Road when they came to power in 2010.
"I am thrilled to have played a part in getting this scheme going again alongside the residents, parish and borough councillors who all fought so hard in getting this new road secured."
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