AT least £2 million has gone directly into Saltash and South East Cornwall as a result of the Tamar Bridge strengthening and widening project, new figures released by the project team claim this week.

But this figure has been refuted by businesses in Saltash, who say that the money is just not enough.

Responding to claims by local businesses that profits have suffered due to the traffic disruption since 1999, the project team re-examined its books and has produced a report which shows how much financial input associated with the project has gone into firms.

Cornwall county council's assistant director of planning, transportation and estates, Richard Fish, who has overseen the project from the start, said: 'With any major infrastructure project there is bound to be a degree of short term pain for long term gain.

'It's a great achievement that we have managed to keep the bridge open to traffic throughout the course of these vital strengthening works.'

He added that without the project, the bridge would have now had a 17 tonne weight restriction imposed on it which would have been impossible for many local businesses to work with.

The developed bridge now has a weight limit of 40 tonnes.

'Strengthening and widening this vital crossing on such a well established route into Cornwall was the right thing to do for the long term health of the Cornish economy.

'Having a major engineering project on the doorstep has also given an undeniable boost to many businesses west of the Tamar.'

The project's accounts for the £34.6 million scheme show a total of £8 million worth of contracts awarded in Plymouth and Cornwall.

Of this, £4.5 million has gone to Cornwall, with an estimated £2 million of that spent in Saltash and in South East Cornwall.

Chairman of Saltash chamber of commerce and owner of Saltash business, RD Industries, Roger Dymond, said that all businesses in Saltash have suffered.

'We have suffered from the start of the rebuilding works. The development has taken an unacceptable amount of time. £2 million is just not enough,' he said.

'My company manufactures goods on a national and international scale and often we have missed time slots for export due to the bridge. It hasn't just been us, every business in the town has suffered.'