THE long-awaited multi-million pound link road to Wrexham Industrial Estate will be open next summer.

At a meeting of Wrexham Council’s environment and regeneration scrutiny committee on Thursday, principal council engineer Darren Williams told members the road is expected to open within 15 months.

He said: “It is a 15-month programme. Contractors are now on site and the work is due to begin.”

Businesses on the estate have spent years calling for the link road to take pressure off the one existing access road, which is frequently snarled up with traffic.

Earlier this year the Welsh Assembly Government pledged to pump £11.22 million into the project, meaning work could finally start.

But members raised concerns over whether the money was still available given the current financial situation.

Cllr Ted George said: “Are we sure we are going to get this money from the Assembly? We have been waiting for this access road for 20 or 30 years. Will the work definitely go ahead?”

But Mr Williams said he was “confident of funding”.

The project aims to improve link roads to the north and south of the estate which is one of the largest of its type in Wales, with more than 300 companies providing more than 7,000 jobs.

The existing highway access goes through unclassified roads and suffers from congestion, particularly at peak times.

The new northern access will include 3.2 kilometres of two-lane dual carriageway.

At the southern access, 1.2 kilometres of single carriageway road will be built with three new or enlarged junctions.

The scheme also includes a new bridge over the River Clywedog, retaining walls, two culverts and a flood protection barrier.

Community leaders are thrilled that after years of waiting the project has finally come to fruition.

Cllr Lloyd Kenyon said: “I’m delighted to hear that in 15 months time that road will be open.”