Mersey river toll bridge gets the go ahead

Mersey Gateway backers have hailed the UK government’s decision to give the project planning approval as “fantastic news”.
February 21, 2012 Read time: 1 min
Mersey Gateway backers have hailed the UK government’s decision to give the project planning approval as “fantastic news”.

The approval gives the green light for the project team to begin the procurement process in earnest during 2011.

Centrepiece of the Gateway is a new six-lane toll bridge over the River Mersey between the towns of Runcorn and Widnes north-west England.

In addition to speeding up journey times and improving journey reliability in the region, the 1km crossing will act as a catalyst for investment and bring benefits over four times greater than the investment cost, which has been estimated at over £430 million (e267.5 million).

The existing Silver Jubilee Bridge will also be tolled as part of the project.

An estimated 4,640 new jobs will be created through direct employment, regeneration activity and inward investment.

It is anticipated that construction work will start within two years, and that the new bridge will take around three years to complete.
Road Structures Highway & Network Management

Related Content

  • Key projects free up Auckland's congested motorway network
    June 14, 2012
    A number of key projects in Auckland, New Zealand will free-up the city’s congested motorway network - Mary Searle reports.Auckland is a sprawling city, home to 1.4 million people, one third of New Zealand’s total population. Until recently, greater Auckland comprised Auckland city, North Shore city over the harbour bridge to the north, Waitakere city to the west and Manukau city to the south. An amalgamation of these various cities’ councils, plus the regional council and three district councils into one,
    Read More
  • First deck span completed for Mersey Gateway's north approach viaduct
    February 12, 2016
    The Mersey Gateway Project achieved another milestone as the first deck span for the elevated north approach viaduct was completed. The reinforced concrete deck span was revealed when Merseylink's movable scaffolding system (MSS) 'Trinity' moved to its second casting position. It is the first of 11 spans that will be cast by the MSS for the deck of the elevated approach viaduct on the north side of the River Mersey.
    Read More
  • Sunderland’s New Wear Crossing takes shape
    February 16, 2017
    The New Wear Crossing will be the first bridge to be built over the River Wear in Sunderland, UK, for more than 40 years Raising the bridge’s 100m-tall pylon promised to be a stunning visual sight, but also a tricky operation dictated by extremely variable local weather. World Highways went to press just before the operation, but not before the pylon had arrived by barge on January 7. It had completed a two-day crossing of the often unpredictable North Sea from the Belgian port of Ghent where it was f
    Read More
  • Shortlist set for Lower Thames tunnel work
    April 9, 2021
    Bam Nuttal, Bouygues, Dragados and Hochtief are in the running for the UK project.
    Read More

Highlighted Content