Bridge across the Mersey is starting to take shape

Stockport bridge

Work on a new bridge in Stockport town centre has taken a big step forward as engineers worked through the night to install six huge steel beams across the River Mersey.

The new bridge will link the site of the proposed new Stockport transport interchange and the A6 via Swaine Street, next to the existing Stockport bus station, Astley Street and Heaton Lane.

Delivered under police escort, the six steel beams, each approximately 38 metres long and weighing around 30 tonnes, were moved into position by a 750 tonne crane and laid on top of a thick concrete mat that will provide support for the bridge.

The new bridge marks the first stage of preparatory work for Stockport’s new transport interchange and will provide a direct link for buses, taxis, cyclists and pedestrians into the interchange site, making travel much easier for commuters and residents.

Stockport Transport Interchange

Funded as part of the Greater Manchester Growth Deal programme, the Mersey Bridge project is being delivered by Stockport Council and TfGM and marks the latest in a line of projects to get off the ground in Stockport as part a £1bn investment programme that is currently underway in the town.

Councillor Kate Butler, cabinet member for Economy and Regeneration at Stockport Council, said: “It’s great to see work on the new bridge progressing so well.

“By creating another direct link into the proposed transport interchange site, the new bridge is a significant piece of infrastructure that will improve access, reduce congestion on the A6 and make it easier for residents and visitors to use public transport here in Stockport.”

Alex Cropper, head of TfGM’s Projects Group, said: “Work to lay the foundations for the new bridge across the River Mersey was a huge undertaking and is symbolic of the investment being made to Stockport town centre to improve transport.

“We find ourselves at the start of a very exciting and ambitious journey as we prepare the town for a state-of-the-art interchange.”

Mersey Bridge is due to open in 2019.

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