Work is progressing on the Mersey Gateway crossing project in Halton.

Two 270-tonne bridge building machines have now been lifted into position 25 metres above the River Mersey, ready to being building the projects main bridge deck.

The scheme involves building a new road bridge across the River Mersey and the Manchester Ship Canal. It will connect the Central Expressway in Runcorn with the Eastern Bypass and Speke Road in Widnes.

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Construction teams used a hydraulic system to lift the large form travellers into place at the south pylon in the Mersey estuary.

The machines will act as movable concrete moulds and preparations are now underway to cast the first part of the bridge deck from the south pylon.

The form travellers at the north pylon will be lifted into place later this month, while machines for the central pylon will be positioned this summer.

The three pairs will be used to cast the spans between the three bridge pylons, creating a 1km reinforced concrete bridge deck.

The works are expected to take around 12 months to complete.

A project spokesperson added the Mersey Gateway is on schedule to open in autumn 2017.

(LM)