PUTTING together the Mersey Gateway has been like putting together a massive jigsaw according to engineers.

Each stay cable consists of between 41 and 91 individual strands of steel.

And each strand contains seven wires which are galvanised, waxed and covered in a special coating to protect them from corrosion.

The outer cables are light green, the same colour as the Silver Jubilee Bridge.

“The middle cables which will be working a lot harder have 91 strands of steel,” said Jim Rice, Merseylink senior operations manager.

“They will be welded on the deck and lifted up into position.”

Re-structuring the Ditton junction in Widnes and building new roads and bridges to link up with the crossing, he said, have been challenging.

“It has been complicated with other issues,” said Mr Rice. “We have had utility diversions and contaminated ground. Excavated materials had to be treated and processed so we could re-use as much as possible.

“It is a massive jigsaw.

“Everyone wants the new bridge. A lot of people are working very hard. “When it’s open we will be very proud of what we have achieved.”

Halton Council leader Cllr Rob Polhill said: “It is really heartening for me to see this crossing finally coming to fruition.

“We have been talking about it since 1988 and have had to push every step of the way. It has been really challenging.”

The existing 1961 bridge was designed for 34,000 vehicles a day.

“As we approached 90,000 we knew something had to be done,” said Cllr Polhill.

“We wanted Halton to expand and grow. The infrastructure that goes with the new bridge is colossal.

“We knew roads would have to be taken off and we appreciate drivers’ patience with all the disruption.

“It is a colossal project not just for Halton but for the entire country.

“I am really proud to be part of it.”