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The Mersey Gateway Project team, the
consortium in the U.K. of which FCC is a
member, has announced that a connection
to the Southern Expressway route in Run-
corn has re-opened to traffic. Thanks to the
re-opening of the road, southbound traffic
using the Central Expressway no longer
has to divert around local roads.
The Mersey team
in the United Kingdom
reopens the road connecting the country’s Cen-
tral and Southern Expressways
Hugh O’Connor, General Manager of Mer-
seylink, said: “the reopening is one of the
most important parts of the project in terms
of the reconfiguration of the road.”
Upgrading and re-modelling the road in-
frastructure is a key part of the Mersey Ga-
teway Project. The objective is to create a 7
km link road to connect the new bridge to
the national motorway network.
When the project is completed, there will
be a new free-flowing north to south route
Caring for biodiversity in Halton
The Merseylink team committed to protecting the environ-
ment has planted a wildflower meadow at Clifton rounda-
bout in Runcorn at Junction 12 of the M56. This action is
part of the Mersey Gateway project’s long-term landsca-
ping works carried out by FCC in the UK.
Several native wildflower species have been planted in-
cluding: red poppies, white camomiles, blue cornflowers
and yellow corn marigolds. The aim is to create a stable
ecological bed by linking two important local habitats:
Floodbrook Clough; an ancient semi-natural woodland de-
signated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest; and Clifton
Lagoons, another site with a great botanical value.
The seeds, sourced from local environmental charity,
Landlife, which is based at the National Wildflower Cen-
tre in Knowsley, were carefully mixed to attract pollinators
such as butterflies and bees.
The wildflower meadows not only provide a unique visual
display, but also create an essential haven for wildlife.
According to Hayley Percival, Merseylink’s Environmental
Coordinator of the scheme, “supporting the natural envi-
ronment of each site and boosting biodiversity are two of
Merseylink’s key commitments”.
that links the new bridge and the Central
Expressway with Weston Link and on to the
M56 Junction 12, benefitting those who live
and work in the area.