Mersey Gateway – A Bridge to Prosperity

Halton Borough Council

Client

Halton Borough Council

Project

Mersey Gateway - A Bridge to Prosperity

Services

Community Engagement
Design
Marketing
Public Affairs
Public Relations
Strategy
Video

Specialism

Infrastructure​, Regeneration and Energy

Date

July 2006 - Present

The Brief

The Mersey Gateway Project was a major scheme to build, operate and maintain a new £1.86 billion toll bridge over the River Mersey. DTW delivered PR, community relations, communications and public affairs support to support the delivery of the project over an 11-year period.

Our Work

We started with a clear vision that we needed to communicate to all stakeholders, that this project was ‘more than just a bridge’. This simple vision and message underpinned all of our work over the course of the contract.

We guided the Mersey Gateway team (Halton Borough Council and construction consortium Merseylink) with strategic communications support through three general elections, 10 planning applications, a public inquiry, and three years of a major construction project with significant traffic disruption throughout. We also helped the council manage and communicate the high-profile introduction of tolls on the new bridge and also the existing Silver Jubilee Bridge.

Clear, honest and transparent communication with all stakeholders – residents, politicians, commuters and potential private sector partners, was critical throughout.

Results

In October 2017 the new Mersey Gateway toll bridge opened. It now carries two million vehicles each month, meaning quicker, easier and more reliable journeys.

The overall delivery of the project was a success with the Mersey Gateway bridge opening in October 2017:

  • Funding and planning were secured in 2013
  • 42 months of construction went smoothly with huge levels of interest and support
  • The bridge is now open with traffic levels above those predicted (pre-lockdown impact) and 97% of people paying tolls on time

We’re still working with the client today to provide ongoing consultancy support.

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184.5 million

Media reach

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100%

Cross party backing from regional MPs

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2.5m

Web page views during construction phase of project

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