Mersey Gateway Project

The Mersey Gateway Project was a major scheme to build a new six-lane, one-mile toll bridge over the Mersey between the towns of Runcorn and Widnes to relieve the congested and ageing Silver Jubilee Bridge. The new bridge crosses the Mersey about 1.5km east of the Silver Jubilee Bridge. It is a tolled crossing with a maximum speed limit of 60 mph.

Key elements of the project included:

• Plans to develop and integrate public transport, cycle and pedestrian links across Halton
• Plans to kick-start a major, 20-year, regeneration programme for Halton
• Improving regional transport links to encourage new and inward investment
• Road user charges on the existing Silver Jubilee Bridge between the two towns

The new bridge is over 70% funded by the private sector. By 2030 it will have created an estimated 4,640 new jobs through direct employment, regeneration activity and inward investment and generated an estimated £61.9m per annum in gross value added from the new jobs by 2030.

The Mersey Gateway Project forms the centrepiece of a new and improved high standard link road (9.5km long) connecting the national motorway network in north Cheshire with Merseyside.

Rendel was appointed as a member of the design JV, along with Ingerop and Atkins, to carry out the tender design of the main cable-stayed bridge and the approach viaducts, including the foundations. In addition, Rendel was also responsible for value engineering and the preparation of the bidding documents.