Capita has been appointed by Halton Borough Council, the Merseylink consortium and the Mersey Gateway Crossings Board to provide independent certifier services for the £600m Mersey Gateway project.

The scheme comprises the construction of a new 1000m long, six-lane, cable stayed toll bridge over the Mersey between the towns of Runcorn and Widnes that will relieve the congested and ageing Silver Jubilee Bridge nearby.

Capita will be responsible for monitoring the design and construction certification processes being used and will certify completion and readiness for opening to traffic in 2017.

The project will also:

• Improve regional transport links to encourage new and inward investment;
• Help plans to develop and integrate local public transport, cycle and pedestrian links;
• Help plans to kick start a major 20-year regeneration programme for Halton;
• Utilise free flow tolling technology with no toll barriers;
• Introduce charges on the existing Silver Jubilee Bridge.

The new bridge will:

• Be over 70% funded by toll revenue;
• Provide an estimated 4,640 new jobs through direct employment, regeneration activity and inward investment;
• Generate an estimated £61.9 million a year in gross value added from the new jobs by 2030;
• Cross the river around 1.5km to the east of the Silver Jubilee Bridge;
• Be a tolled crossing with a speed limit of 60mph;
• Have three lanes across the Mersey in each direction;
• Form the centrepiece of a new and improved high standard link road (9.5km long) connecting the national motorway network in north Cheshire with Merseyside.