Mersey Gateway bridge project

Halton Borough Council in the UK has shortlisted three bidders for the Mersey Gateway bridge project estimated to cost £600m.

The shortlist includes Balfour Beatty, Bouygues Travaux Publics and Egis Projects consortium, the Merseylink consortium, and the MGL consortium.

The Merseylink consortium includes Macquarie Capital Group, Bilfinger Berger Project Investments, Vialia Sociedad Gestora de Concesiones de Infraestructuras and FCC Construcción, while the MGL consortium comprises Galliford Try Investments, Hochtief PPP Solutions and Iridium Concesiones de Infraestructuras.

Mersey Gateway project director Steve Nicholson said each of the six groups they evaluated met their requirements but they set out to limit the procurement process to three bidding groups and they have maintained this approach so that they can reduce bid costs whilst running an effective competition.

"During the next year the project team will work with the shortlisted bidders to develop proposals that deliver quality and value for money on behalf of the taxpayer," Nicholson stated.

The shortlisted candidates will now compete for a contract to design, build, finance and operate a new toll bridge over the River Mersey between Runcorn and Widnes and associated work in the regions.

The Mersey Gateway project entails building a new six-lane, 1km long toll bridge over the Mersey between the Runcorn and Widnes to relieve the congested and ageing Silver Jubilee Bridge.

The new bridge will cross the river around 1.5km to the east of the Silver Jubilee Bridge and will have three lanes across the Mersey in each direction.

When completed, Mersey Gateway is expected to be a new and improved link road stretching 9.5km connecting the national motorway network in north Cheshire with Merseyside.

It will link the Central Expressway in Runcorn with the Eastern Bypass and Speke Road in Widnes.

Whilst the final cosmetic design for the bridge is yet to be finalised, the draft design is based on a cable-stay structure similar to the second Severn Crossing but with three towers.

Halton Borough Council leader Cllr. Rob Polhill said: "We have attracted world class construction groups that have come together to compete for this prestigious contract. I look forward to announcing the eventual winner and the commencement of construction later next year."

Image: Mersey Gateway bridge will be a new six-lane, 1km long toll bridge over the Mersey between the Runcorn and Widnes. Photo: Mersey Gateway bridge project.