Mersey Gateway Bridge facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Mersey Gateway Bridge |
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The Mersey Gateway, with the older Silver Jubilee Bridge in the distance
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| Coordinates | 53°21′10″N 2°42′47″W / 53.3528°N 2.713°W |
| Carries |  A533 |
| Crosses | River Mersey |
| Locale | Halton |
| Maintained by | Halton Borough Council |
| Followed by | Silver Jubilee Bridge |
| Characteristics | |
| Design | Cable-stayed |
| Trough construction | Concrete and steel |
| Pier construction | Concrete |
| Total length | 2.2 km (1.4 miles) |
| Width | 30 metres (98 ft) |
| Height | 125 metres (410 ft) |
| Longest span | 318 metres (1,043 ft) |
| Number of spans | 4 |
| Piers in water | 3 |
| Load limit | 53,000+ tonnes |
| Clearance below | 25 metres (82 ft) |
| History | |
| Architect | Knight Architects |
| Engineering design by | COWI & FHECOR |
| Constructed by | Merseylink CCJV – Kier Infrastructure and Overseas FCC Construccion Samsung C&T ECUK Consortium |
| Construction begin | May 2014 |
| Construction end | October 2017 |
| Construction cost | £600 million |
| Opened | 14 October 2017 |
| Inaugurated | 14 June 2018 |
| Replaces | Silver Jubilee Bridge (closed to vehicles for reconfiguration remains open for pedestrian and cycle access) |
| Statistics | |
| Toll | £2 cars/small vehicles (£1.80 for those who have registered) up to £8 HGVs |
The Mersey Gateway Bridge is a special bridge in Cheshire, England. It connects the towns of Runcorn and Widnes. This bridge crosses over the River Mersey and the Manchester Ship Canal. It opened in October 2017. The bridge has three lanes for traffic going in each direction. It is about 1.5 kilometers (1 mile) east of the older Silver Jubilee Bridge. The Mersey Gateway is part of a bigger project. This project improved roads and added tolls to the Silver Jubilee Bridge. It also built new road connections and improved the land around 9 kilometers (5.6 miles) of highway.
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Why a New Bridge Was Needed
Before the Mersey Gateway, the Silver Jubilee Bridge was the main crossing. It opened in 1961 and was designed for 8,000 vehicles a day. However, 50 years later, over 80,000 vehicles used it daily. This was ten times more than it was built for!
Because of this, Halton Borough Council decided a new bridge was very important. They believed a new bridge would make travel easier and faster. It would also make Halton a better place to live, work, and invest in.
In 2001, a company called Ramboll became the main technical helper for the project. They worked with other experts to plan and manage the bridge's construction. In 2010, the project was put on hold for a short time. But later that year, the government confirmed the £431 million plan would go ahead. In 2014, more money was promised for the project.
Building the Mersey Gateway
Construction work for the Mersey Gateway Bridge started on May 7, 2014. The bridge opened to traffic just after midnight on October 14, 2017.
The bridge is a cable-stayed bridge. This means it uses strong cables connected to tall towers to hold up the bridge deck. It has three towers of different heights. The central tower is 80 meters (262 feet) tall. The north tower is 110 meters (361 feet) tall. The south tower is the tallest at 125 meters (410 feet).
The part of the bridge held by cables is 998 meters (3,274 feet) long. The entire crossing, including the roads leading up to it, is about 2.3 kilometers (1.4 miles) long. The bridge deck is made of strong concrete. It is 23 meters (75 feet) above the river, allowing ships to pass underneath.
Because the river was too shallow for large boats to help build the bridge, a special temporary bridge was built. This 1.5-kilometer (1-mile) long structure helped workers drive in the bridge's deep foundations.
New roads were also built to connect the bridge to the main highway network. On the Runcorn side, new junctions were created. On the Widnes side, an old road was replaced with a new dual carriageway. The ground for these new roads was made from recycled materials from old industrial sites. This helped to clean up the area and meant less waste was sent away. The new bridge was expected to cut travel times by up to 10 minutes during busy periods.
A 28.5-hectare (70-acre) nature reserve was created around the bridge and riverside. This area is managed by a charity called the Mersey Gateway Environmental Trust. They work to protect nature, improve the landscape, and offer learning opportunities. This project helps protect important places like the Astmoor salt marshes. It is part of a larger 1,600-hectare (3,954-acre) project for the Upper Mersey Estuary.
Paying to Cross the Bridge
The Mersey Gateway is a toll bridge, meaning you have to pay to cross it. As of March 2020, a car costs £2 to cross if you are not registered. Vans or small lorries cost £6, and larger lorries or buses cost £8. Local buses and motorcycles do not have to pay.
There are no toll booths on the bridge. You must pay online or by phone before midnight the day after you cross. If you don't pay, you will get a penalty charge. You can also register online for an account. This lets you pay less and makes crossing easier. People who live in Halton can pay a small yearly fee for unlimited personal trips.
The Silver Jubilee Bridge, which used to be free, also now has a toll. It was closed for repairs and reopened in February 2021. It now has one lane for vehicles in each direction and improved paths for walkers and cyclists. The council expects the bridge costs to be paid off in 25 years. After that, they will review if tolls are still needed.
What Happens if You Don't Pay
If you don't pay the toll by midnight the next day, you will get a penalty charge. This charge is £20 plus the unpaid toll. If you don't pay the penalty, it can become a civil debt. This means legal action can be taken to collect the money. By December 2018, 15 months after opening, over one million penalty charges had been issued.
Vehicle Breakdowns
If your vehicle breaks down on the bridge, only a special authorized company can recover it. You are not allowed to do repairs, refuel, or change tires on the bridge unless you have special permission. Your vehicle will be taken to a special place and held until you pay the recovery and storage fees. For a small vehicle, these fees start at £150 plus tax.
Other Project Improvements
The building of the Mersey Gateway Bridge led to many other road improvements. The Silver Jubilee Bridge was closed when the Gateway opened. It reopened in February 2021 after being repaired and changed to also be a toll bridge. It now has better access for people walking and cycling.
New Motorway Junction
There were plans to build a new junction on the M56 motorway. This was meant to improve how the new bridge connected to the roads in Runcorn. It would also help with traffic jams. However, in May 2020, the project was cancelled because it was decided it would not be worth the money.
Runcorn Station Area
When the Silver Jubilee Bridge reopened, it was disconnected from the main ring road. This means you can't use it to drive directly to Liverpool from the A533. Halton Council plans to improve Runcorn railway station. They want to encourage more train journeys between Runcorn and Liverpool. They also imagine a new "Station Quarter" in the area where the road was closed. This new area could have shops and places for fun activities.
Images for kids
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The Mersey Gateway, with the older Silver Jubilee Bridge in the distance
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The bridge under construction
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Driving north on the Mersey Gateway
