Member Article

Ground broken marking work underway on Gateway project

Construction has started on the £1.75bn Mersey Gateway bridge in Cheshire, with local authority and engineering officials putting spades in the ground at Wigg Island in Runcorn to mark the occasion.

The groundbreaking ceremony marked the start of the construction, undertaken by Manchester-based PP O’Connor.

Cllr Rob Polhill, Halton Borough Council leader, said backers of the new bridge across the Mersey between Widnes and Runcorn have overcome ‘highs and lows’ to bring the project forward.

The authority’s chief executive David Parr said the scheme will ‘benefit Halton, the Liverpool City Region and UK PLC’.

Cllr Polhill said: “It’s great to get things underway.

“We have a major three and a half-year construction project here that will not only give us a new bridge but will help create jobs and stimulate the regional economy.”

The bridge will cost £2 per crossing when opened, with reductions for local residents, a toll which will also be introduced on the current Silver Jubilee Bridge.

Warrington residents continue to express concern that their roads will be used by drivers trying to avoid paying the tolls.

Mr O’Connor added: “Merseylink has spent the past three years working on the plans for this project and today is a hugely significant day for us.

“Our focus now is on delivering the bridge and associated road infrastructure.

“We will be working with all of the interested parties to keep them informed of our proposed works.”

Stephen Cardwell, Merseylink project director, said: “Mersey Gateway is an exciting and challenging construction project.

“The tidal flows in the estuary, the scale of the new bridge, which is the biggest under development in England at the moment, and the extent of the work we need to do to create new access routes on both sides of the river all make this a really fascinating job.”

Steve Nicholson, Mersey Gateway Crossings Board interim chief executive, said: “Local people will see a lot of construction activity taking place in different locations on both sides of the river in the coming weeks and months as work gets underway.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Simon Malia .