Salford Students dig deep at Mersey Gateway site to investigate historical contamination
Students from the University of Salford with the help of the Mersey Gateway Environmental Trust in November collected samples of the Upper Mersey Estuary saltmarsh to determine the distribution of lead and other heavy metal contamination.
University of Salford students conducting their investigation
As part of a wider experiment to study the depth at which contamination levels in saltmarshes occur, the twenty-five students visited the site of the £1.86bn Mersey Gateway Project to build up a history of the origins of contamination.
The Mersey Gateway Project has selected key areas around the planned bridge for conservation. These are being carefully studied, and to ensure plans for managing the saltmarsh through cattle grazing are not affected by the remnants of Halton’s industrial history, research has been carried out by the Environmental Trust and the university since 2010.
Mersey Gateway team strengthened
The Mersey Gateway Crossings Board has strengthened its professional team to support the construction phase of the iconic £1.86bn Mersey Gateway Bridge project.
Paul Fenwick has joined the team as Construction Director and Helen Dearden as Finance Director bringing extensive experience in their respective fields, together with other appointments which will significantly add to the current expertise in the team.
While stepping down as Interim Chief Executive of the Board on 31 October, the project will retain the expertise of Steve Nicholson who led the Project team through the planning and procurement phases to the appointment of Project Company and start of construction. Steve will take up a new role as Special Advisor to the Project on a part time basis.
Chancellor of the Exchequer, George Osborne announces free trips across both Silver Jubilee and Mersey Gateway bridges for ALL Halton residents
On 25 July 2014, UK Chancellor George Osborne announced that the UK Government will provide the additional funding which ensure free* trips across both the Silver Jubilee Bridge and Mersey Gateway crossing for all Halton residents.
Mersey Gateway and Silver Jubilee Bridge tolling – a clarification
Recently we have been receiving questions about Mersey Gateway and Silver Jubilee Bridge tolling particularly why tolls are needed and how the decision to toll both bridges was made.
We have written the below statement for clarification. This statement is an information document and all the content used sits in the public domain.
Both the new Mersey Gateway Bridge and the existing Silver Jubilee Bridge will be tolled once the new bridge opens in 2017.
Toll levels for when the new bridge opens in 2017 have now been set.