Mersey Gateway update 4 – assembling the precast concrete stairways

Clifton Road Bridge stairways manufactured offsite

PCE Ltd were appointed by VolkerLaser to replace six old large precast concrete staircase units at the Clifton Road Bridge in Runcorn and have supplied and installed their normally reinforced precast concrete replacements, which were designed by Consulting Engineer URS.

The six new precast concrete units weighing up to 32 tonnes were manufactured by casting tread down in high quality engineered timber moulds and then turned through 180 degrees before being delivered to the site - part of the Mersey Gateway Project. The Project consists of a six lane toll bridge across the River Mersey, linking Widnes and Runcorn. It commenced on site in May 2014 and is due to open in the Autumn of 2017.

As part of this project, Runcorn based Civils contractor VolkerLaser have been working on twenty four structures for the project's Main Contractors, Merseylink Civil Contractors Joint Venture, a consortium comprised of Spanish Contractor FCC Construcción S.A., Kier Infrastructure and Overseas Ltd, England and the Samsung C&T Corporation of Korea.

Nickie Brown, Managing Director, PCE Ltd:

"PCE are pleased to have been working for VolkerLaser and once again demonstrating how the Planning and Safety expertise within the Company can play a significant role on Civil Infrastructure projects where site works need to be carried out within critical pre-planned closure time periods."