iTransport has acted for Extra MSA Group for more than a decade, advising on traffic and transport matters linked to potential new Motorway Service Area (MSA) locations across the UK and supporting the delivery of major roadside infrastructure projects, including Leeds Skelton Lake Services.
At Warrington, our involvement has spanned the full life of the project: helping advance the case for the site to be removed from the Green Belt and identified in the Warrington Local Plan, supporting the outline planning application, providing expert witness evidence at public inquiry, and later assisting with a Section 73 minor amendments application. The scheme is now under construction, with opening anticipated in autumn 2027.
The central planning and transport challenge was to demonstrate the public safety need for a new MSA in this location, addressing gaps in the existing motorway service network across the North West in line with the relevant Department for Transport Circular. Alongside that strategic case, the project also required detailed work around motorway junction operation, slip roads, HGV parking, future EV infrastructure and the relationship with other major infrastructure proposals, including HS2.
iTransport supported the project at both strategic and technical levels, combining policy, planning and highway expertise to build a robust case for the site from allocation through to delivery.
A key part of the work was helping establish the wider need for a new MSA at this location. This included detailed inputs into the assessment of alternative sites elsewhere on the motorway network and contributions to the wider benefits case. The transport strategy needed to demonstrate not only that the site could operate safely and efficiently, but also that it addressed an identified gap in provision and served a clear public safety purpose.
At a technical level, we led detailed analysis of future turn-in rates and traffic movements at M62 Junction 11, appraised options for amending the motorway junction, and developed preliminary design work for a full-signal control scheme. Our work also included merge/diverge assessments for the slip roads, weaving assessments on the motorway mainline and detailed consideration of HGV parking requirements in the context of national policy and the National Lorry Parking Survey.
Alongside this, we advised on future electric vehicle and electric HGV charging provision, developed a staff travel strategy and Travel Plan, supported the Environmental Impact Assessment and public engagement process, and worked collaboratively with HS2 Ltd. to ensure the proposals would not prejudice delivery of that nationally significant infrastructure project.
We also provided highways expert witness services at public inquiry, including detailed rebuttal of objections from a competing MSA operator.
iTransport’s work helped support the case for a new motorway service area at M62 Junction 11, moving the project from strategic promotion through to consent and into delivery.
By combining a strong public safety case with detailed technical evidence on motorway operations, junction performance, HGV parking and future charging infrastructure, the project team was able to demonstrate that the scheme was both needed and deliverable. Our expert witness input also helped address objections at inquiry and reinforce the strength of the transport case.
Following planning consent, iTransport continued to support the scheme through a Section 73 application and handover into the technical delivery phase. The development is now under construction, with opening expected in autumn 2027.
We provide the full range of specialist transport planning services needed to take schemes from early concept through to consent and delivery
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