12th May 2014
Simon Cook
Construction began on the £600 million Mersey Gateway Scheme on May 7, 2014. The scheme is expected to have a construction time of 3 and a half years, with the bridge scheduled to be open to traffic in the first half of 2017.
The project is designed to deliver a one-kilometre, six-lane bridge to improve transport links between Widnes and Runcorn on the route to Liverpool. This, in turn, will ease congestion over the existing Silver Jubilee Bridge.
The project has been procured as a privately financed public-private partnership project. The 2014 Budget confirmed that the Mersey Gateway qualifies for support from the UK Guarantee Scheme for up to £270 million.
The project has affected a number of owners, occupiers, and tenants of around 50 business premises along the route. As a practice, Roger Hannah & Co. represent 3 significant land owners and local businesses’ affected by the Mersey Gateway Compulsory Purchase Order, whose case study can be viewed here.