Prior to the construction of the Mersey Gateway Bridge, over 80,000 vehicles were using the Silver Jubilee Bridge over the River Mersey every single weekday – that’s ten times the number it was designed for! As a result of this, the Mersey Gateway concept was brought about to provide much-needed traffic relief in the area and as an additional benefit, linking the Liverpool city region, north Cheshire and the North West to the rest of the country via the national motorway network.

Effectively easing congestion and alleviating the severe pressure on the regional road network, the Mersey Gateway Bridge has been a welcome addition to the landscape and will generate an estimated £61.9 million a year in Gross Value Added from an estimated 4,640 new jobs by 2030 through direct employment, regeneration activity and inward investment.

Forming the centrepiece of a new and improved high standard link road measuring in at 9.5km long, the Mersey Gateway is a tolled crossing with a speed limit of 60mph. It features three lanes across the River Mersey in each direction, crossing the river just 1.5km to the east of the Silver Jubilee Bridge.

The Mersey Gateway Bridge, which opened in October 2017, is a landmark structure and its unique design is based on a cable-stayed structure with three towers – the central tower is 80m high, the north tower is 110m high and south tower is 125m high. Including the approach viaducts on each side, the bridge measures 2,130 metres long with a river span of 1,000 metres.

Malcolm Hughes Land Surveyors started work on the Mersey Gateway Bridge in 2015, with the project completing in March 2018. Our engineering surveyors took part in the construction of the north and central bridge piers, working at heights of up to 110m. At its peak, the Malcolm Hughes team consisted of 18 surveyors and turnover on this project reached £2.5m in July 2017.

Now with seven awards and counting for sustainability, technical application, construction and more – from bodies including the Chartered Institute of Highways and Transportation, IJ Global Awards and Project Finance International Awards – the Mersey Gateway has been recognised both nationally and internationally, and at Malcolm Hughes, we’re very pleased and proud to be a part of this award-winning project.