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URBAN VISION LEADS MERSEY GATEWAY PLANNING

Urban Vision’s planning team has been commissioned by Halton Borough Council to process planning applications for the newly proposed £390m Mersey Gateway Bridge project.

The organisation, which is a joint venture between Salford City Council, Capita Symonds and Morrison Highways Maintenance will work directly with colleagues at Halton Borough Council to ensure planning applications for the Bridge and associated highways works are processed to a high standard in line with tight timescales. Completion of the project is expected in June/ July 2009.

The aim of the Mersey Gateway project is to significantly ease congestion currently experienced by users of the existing Silver Jubilee Bridge. It will provide a major strategic new transport route linking Liverpool city centre, north Cheshire and the North West to the rest of the UK. A further three lanes across the river, in each direction, will be made available, roughly 1.5 km to the east of the existing Silver Jubilee Bridge.

The project also includes modifications to the existing Silver Jubilee Bridge to improve facilities for public transport, walking and cycling.

Andrew Fuller, Prinicipal Planner on the project for Urban Vision, commented, “The proposals for the Mersey Gateway Bridge are of huge regional significance and it’s fantastic for Urban Vision to get involved in such a high profile project. Currently 80,000 vehicles use the Silver Jubilee Bridge every weekday, which is ten times the number it was originally designed for. With that number only likely to increase it is vital that the area receives an additional route over the river. I’m confident that Urban Vision’s expertise will prove vital in achieving the relevant planning permissions for this ambitious project.”