The Mersey
Gateway Bridge
At midnight on 14th October 2017, the Mersey Gateway Bridge was opened to the public. It was delivered on time and on budget.
Free flow or open road tolling has alleviated the stress on the Silver Jubilee Bridge, which is now reconfigured to provide single lane traffic, cycling and pedestrian access.
The opening of this major infrastructure imitative, consisting of a six lane cable-stayed bridge spanning the River Mersey has led to significant improvements to journey times and journey reliability, these improvements have been complemented by a reduction in air pollution and accidents across the 9.5km of project road in Halton, from the M56 to opening up the wider Liverpool City Region.
To reflect this the project has been awarded numerous accolades including:
The International Association for Bridge and Structural Engineering (IABSE) awarded the Mersey Gateway Bridge the Global Outstanding Structure Award in 2019 for ‘an elegantly integrated solution…in which form follows function’.
MGCB – Who We Are
The Mersey Gateway Crossings Board (the Board) is a special purpose vehicle established by Halton Borough Council in 2013 as part of the project plan to deliver and operate the new Mersey Gateway Bridge. The Board is a Company limited by shares wholly owned by Halton Borough Council and operating as a commercial not-for-profit organisation, determined by a long term contract with the Council, as required by a funding agreement between the Council and the Department for Transport (DfT).
Based in Manor Park, Runcorn, Mike Bennett is the Managing Director at MGCB.
Role of the Board
To act as the primary client, overseer, and administrator for the entire Mersey Gateway Project.
The Board’s terms of reference and delegated authority are expressed in a Governance Agreement with the Council, and they deliver the project on behalf of the Council as follows:
MANAGING THE PROJECT AGREEMENT
- Asset Maintenance: It ensures that Merseylink adequately maintains the structural integrity of both the new Mersey Gateway Bridge and 9.5km project road network.
- Policy Compliance: It works day-to-day with project partners to ensure local employment goals, safety regulations, and traffic management plans are strictly upheld.
Tolling administration and governance
- System Oversight: While the front-facing customer tolling system is managed by Merseyflow, the Board oversees the broader concession business, managing an operation with an annual turnover of roughly £70 million.
- Policy Recommendations: The Board works alongside Halton Borough Council to evaluate tolling frameworks, process public feedback, and submit recommendations regarding toll adjustments, Penalty Charge Notices (PCNs), and Local User Discount Schemes.
Financial and funding governance
- Public Money Stewardship: The Board ensures that project finances align with the long-term funding agreements established between Halton Borough Council and the UK Department for Transport (DfT).
- Debt and Revenue Management: It ensures that toll revenues are collected and applied toward paying the project’s multi-billion pound lifetime structural costs.
Contract Structure
The Mersey Gateway CROSSINGS BOARD
Primary client, overseer, and administrator for the entire Mersey Gateway Project.
Contact MGCB