A COUNCIL investment of £2.5million will fund improvements to a major junction in Winsford town centre.

The cash injection, granted by Cheshire West and Chester Council (CWAC), will centre on the A54 High Street and Grange Lane traffic signal junction and follows the authority’s decision to approve a new £20million school building for the Winsford E-ACT Academy, in Grange Lane.

The updated junction will include additional crossing facilities to help pedestrians and cyclists and extra lanes on all approaches to improve capacity and help the passage of traffic through town.

It is hoped the changes will both accommodate the extra traffic created by the town’s academy while also supporting future development in the Winsford area.

Clr Lynn Riley, executive member for community and environment, said: “This is part of our ongoing commitment to investing in Winsford.

“These improvements will bring relief to the congestion that Winsford has suffered at peak times for many years as well as encouraging future investment in the Winsford area.

“We also want to encourage sustainable travel to the school by encouraging walking, cycling and public transport use.”

Winsford town councillor Stephen Burns, who also represents the Swanlow and Dene ward as a CWAC member, said: “Winsford Town Council welcomes any improvement to our highways.

“However, the town council feels the demolition of the Civic Hall as well as improvements to the adjacent highway are urgently required in order to engage developer interest in the site.”

The Winsford Area Highways Team will consult with local members and the town council when drawing up the detailed proposals and work on the junction is expected to be complete when the academy building opens, in September 2013.

Share your views on this story at winsfordguardian.co.uk.