Substation makes way for £600m Mersey Gateway (From Runcorn and Widnes World)

First construction project makes way for new bridge

6:10pm Saturday 19th January 2013 in News By Barbara Jordan

ONE of the first construction projects associated with the new £600 million Mersey Gateway Bridge is taking shape.

Initial development work on a replacement electricity substation has started on part of the former Widnes Tank Container services site in Ditton Road.

The existing substation has to be demolished to make way for the bridge as it is on the proposed route of one of the main access roads to the new crossing.

Clr Rob Polhill, leader of Halton Council, said: “The development of this new substation is one of a number of examples where the complexity of the work that we need to do means that we are undertaking advance works so that the main project will be able commence without causing delay”.

The site for the new substation, acquired by the council last year, has been handed over to Scottish Power. It will provide power to local businesses and around 1,000 homes across Widnes.

The initial construction phase will continue until the end of January.

Scottish Power will install the new equipment in the spring and the site will undergo commissioning in the summer.

Phil Mckenna, senior project engineer with Scottish Power, said: “We are pleased to be working closely with Halton Council and the Mersey Gateway Project to develop this new facility, which will be an ultra-modern primary substation making redundant our existing primary substation at Ditton Road.”

Once it has been through the commissioning phase and has been energised, the existing substation, which adjoins the former Anglo Blackwell site, will be decommissioned and demolished as part of the main bridge contract.