Last updated 11:22, Thursday, 27 November 2008

WORK on a giant transport hub on Merseyside for Cumbrian haulage firm Eddie Stobart has begun.

The development, which straddles the River Mersey between Widnes and Runcorn could eventually create 10,000 jobs.

Known as the Mersey Multimodal Gateway (3MG), it will eventually include a port and a shipping hub for the Carlisle logistics giant.

Work has begun on the first stage of the development: the demolition of an unused industrial estate and the clean up of acres of contaminated land at the West Bank Dock Estate in Widnes.

The Stobart Group received a £4.3m grant from the North West Regional Development Agency (NWDA) to clean up 48 acres of land.

Andrew Tinkler, Stobart Group chief executive, said the work was part of the company’s vision to become the UK’s leading provider of “multimodal transport and logistics”.

“Stobart ultimately aims to maximise rail freight opportunities as part of its strategy for the site to reduce road congestion and harmful emissions associated with road transport,” he said.

Peter White, executive director of development at the NWDA, said: “Through enabling the site’s remediation to bring it back into economic use, the agency’s investment will kick-start a major redevelopment that will help to significantly rejuvenate this area of Halton.”