The transformational impact of more than £200m invested in 61 projects around the region is being celebrated by Cheshire and Warrington Local Enterprise Partnership as its five-year Local Growth Fund programme draws to a close.

The funding is set to generate 16,000 jobs and help 20,000 learners gain new qualifications, while driving forward the region’s innovation economy in clean tech and life science. Removing traffic congestion pinch points and unlocking development sites was also prioritised in the investment programme.

Large scale projects are led by £53m towards the £92m Congleton link road as part of a wider plan to create 3,000 jobs, 2,475 new homes and 120k sq m of commercial floorspace in the area.

Major funding for public transport upgrades included £13.5m invested in the new Chester Bus Exchange as the first part of the £70m Northgate scheme, while some £6.5m went towards the new Warrington West Station.

The region’s transport infrastructure was also improved with some £5.85m invested in the £10.4m replacement of the Sydney Road Bridge in Crewe, which is now able to take two lanes of traffic and has a pedestrian path, reducing congestion in the area.

Similarly, the Cheshire and Warrington LEP contributed £3.3m to the redesign of the existing Crewe Green Roundabout to increase capacity and reduce congestion. Improvements at junction eight of the M62 to help ease congestion around the Omega business park, which employs more than 10,000 people, were backed with £4m towards the £8.8m scheme.