Construction work started today, 7th May, on the Mersey Gateway Project.

The Merseylink Consortium is starting work by building access roads across the sensitive saltmarsh environments on both sides of the river.

They are doing this so construction teams can reach and work in the estuary to build the new six-lane toll bridge over the River Mersey between Widnes and Runcorn.

Halton Borough Council Leader Rob Polhill joined the Merseylink Consortium team on Wigg Island in Runcorn today for a ground-breaking ceremony to mark the start of the work.

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Manchester-based construction firm PP O'Connor is undertaking the construction work on the access road across the saltmarshes, which will take around 16 weeks to complete. The firm won the contract against competition from across the UK through a competitive tendering process run by Merseylink.

This is the first of a series of construction and other contracts that Merseylink will be appointing in the coming weeks.

The next few months will also see work starting on:

• setting up the accommodation compounds on both sides of the river

• final demolition work around Ditton, Astmoor, Catalyst Trade Park, Victoria Road and Hutchinson Street

• construction of three pylon cofferdams in the River Mersey from floating barges

• a temporary trestle bridge built from each side of the river to take vehicles to the pylons

• upgrading the road network in Runcorn starting at the Bridgewater Interchange and M56 roundabout

Work will continue through to an anticipated bridge opening date of autumn 2017.

(CD)