THERE is 'traffic chaos' in Runcorn and Widnes this morning following closures on the Mersey Gateway.

Two lanes are currently closed on the bridge which connects the two towns together.

The closures are due to road works on the southbound side from A557 John Collins Way to Central Expressway.

Traffic is particularly heavy in the area as a result, with queues building.

It comes after Mersey Gateway, which operates the bridge, announced it had closed the lanes yesterday, Wednesday, due to safety concerns.

The concerns relate to a safety risk identified in the southern expansion joint of the bridge.

In a Facebook post, Mersey Gateway said the closures are to mitigate any potential risk to motorists using the crossing.

The post reads: “Specialist expertise and equipment are required to carry out the remediation works and these are currently being arranged for deployment.

“The lane closures will need to remain in place until the issue has been addressed.

“We apologise for any delay and disruption caused by this issue and further updates will be provided when details are confirmed.”