Work to begin on Mersey Gateway project

Work on the Mersey Gateway road and tunnel project will get underway in April after a consortium announced procurement savings of £250 million.

This means that all the 30-year contracts between the Merseylink consortium and Halton Borough Council have been agreed and the funding committed that will enable construction to commence immediately and the project to be operated and maintained for the next 30 years.

Since the project received preliminary support from Government in 2006, Halton Council has delivered this important project through a complex planning and procurement process.

From the beginning, keeping the project affordable has been the project mantra, and the council can now announce that the procurement programme has delivered savings of £250 million under the budget set by government in 2011.

Cllr Rob Polhill, leader of Halton Borough Council, said: “This is an historic day for Halton, but in many ways the real work starts now. We’ll now be working closely with the Merseylink team to help build a bridge that will create jobs, encourage investment and be a catalyst for regeneration in the area.”

Stephen Cardwell, project director for the Merseylink construction joint venture, said: “We’re pleased to have finalised this deal. The Merseylink consortium brings together leading bridge design, construction and tolling professionals who have worked on projects around the world, and I know the team is excited about the Mersey Gateway project. We’ve already started our work to engage with the local supply chain and potential employees and the response we have had has been encouraging.”