Highways Agency - Safe roads, Reliable journeys, Informed travellers

The Project

Bidston Moss Viaduct is a 730 metre long box girder bridge which carries the M53 over the A554 roundabout and the Birkenhead to New Brighton railway, and is jointly owned by the Highways Agency, Wirral Borough Council and Mersey Travel.

The project is rapidly moving through the Construction phase after starting Construction operations in May 2010.  The construction process will take 2 years and is programmed for completion in the first quarter of 2012.

The project team would like to take this opportunity to thank you for your co-operation and understanding whilst crucial construction is taking place on and around the viaduct.  The team always ensures disruption to local traffic, the environment and local residents is kept to a minimum at all times.

We would urge you to take care and adhere to the speed limits currently placed on the Bidston Moss roundabout at 30mph and 50mph on the main carriageway of the viaduct including slip-roads. The speed limits are in place for the safety of travelling public and our workforce.

More information about this project is available on the Scheme Background page.

Why are we strengthening the viaduct?

The Viaduct, which opened in 1970, is the main route into the Kingsway Tunnel under the River Mersey and is used by over 50,000 vehicles daily including 3,000 heavy goods vehicles.

The viaduct was strengthened following the introduction of new legislation to allow 40 tonne vehicles onto the country's roads. However during this work the need for further strengthening was identified and as a safety precaution heavy goods vehicles over 3.5 tonnes were restricted to the inside lane of the main carriageway and the slip roads reduced down to one lane.

Technical surveys, studies and assessments were completed with the studies concluding that online strengthening provided the best value solution to the viaduct problems. As a result a multi-million pound scheme to strengthen the existing structure, whilst keeping disruption to the existing traffic to a minimum, was developed.

Work being undertaken

The viaduct is a box girder bridge which involves working in extreme confined space environments where specialist training and skills are required to complete the strengthening operations.

There are some 62 boxes to be fully strengthened, pier repairs, highway deck replacement, lighting and electrics to be replaced.  The scheme revolves around being designed for maintenance to ensure any future works can be complete quickly, efficiently and to a safe manner.

The project has been set-up with the workforce and public's safety in mind.  With experience from two other box girder strengthening projects the project team will be able to deliver a safe and successful project for all parties involved in the scheme.

What Happens Next?

The project will be rapidly moving the strengthening operation in a timely and efficient manner whilst causing minimal disruption to the local area.

Scaffolding will continue to be maintained and in the near future scaffolding will start to be taken down from site with the final bridge being revealed.

Works will commence during 2011 on lighting refurbishment, surface replacement in specific areas with improved drainage being placed throughout site.

If any of these works are likely to cause significant disruption to the general area notice will be given to those significantly affected before any works will commence.