Kingsway Tunnel

The Kingsway Tunnel (or Wallasey Tunnel) is a toll road tunnel under the River Mersey between Liverpool and Wallasey. The 1.5 mi (2.4 km) tunnel carries the A59. It was built because the Queensway Tunnel – which was built in the 1930s to carry vehicles between Birkenhead and Liverpool – was unable to cope with the rise in postwar traffic.

This article is about the road tunnel in Merseyside. For other uses, see Kingsway Tunnel (disambiguation).

Kingsway Tunnel
Tunnel entrance in Wallasey
Overview
LocationMerseyside, England
StatusActive
Route A59 road
StartLiverpool, Merseyside
EndWallasey, Merseyside
Operation
Constructed1968–1973
OpenedSouthern portal: 24 June 1971
Northern portal: 13 February 1974
OwnerMerseytravel
TrafficAutomotive
Toll£2 for cars (£1.20 for LCR fast-tag)
Technical
No. of lanes4 (2 in eastbound, 2 westbound)

History

Annual vehicle usage of the Queensway Tunnel had exceeded 11 million by 1959, causing severe traffic congestion at peak commute times, partially as a result of low toll costs. It was evident that a significant capacity increase was required, with considerations on various bridge and tunnel schemes ultimately concluding with a second tunnel as the favoured option, funded by tolls. In 1965, parliamentary powers granted construction of a new two-lane tunnel, approximately 1 mile downstream from the existing tunnel. A further bill for the tunnel's construction was promoted in 1967 with approval given in 1968, upon which construction started immediately.[1]

Construction

The project was authorised by the Mersey Tunnel (Liverpool/Wallasey) etc. Act 1965. Edmund Nuttall Limited.[2] Construction took around five years to fully complete. The approach to the tunnel on the Wirral side uses the former railway cutting that carried the Seacombe branch line.[3] It was officially opened by Queen Elizabeth II on 24 June 1971. At first, only the southernmost tunnel was open for traffic, one lane in each direction. The northernmost tunnel was completed in 1974 and opened to traffic on 13 February 1974.

Operations

Kingsway comprises identical twin tunnels. Each has two 12 ft (3.7 m) lanes. They carry on average 45,000 vehicles a day (almost 16.4million per year).[4] As of April 2022, a single car journey through the tunnel cost £2.[5] Staffed and automatic tollbooths are located on the Wallasey side. Of the two tunnels crossing the River Mersey, Kingsway is the only one able to take heavy goods vehicles (HGVs).

In a study following the fire in the Mont Blanc Tunnel in 1999, inspectors from the European Union rated the Kingsway Tunnel as "good", one of fourteen to receive that rating in Europe.[6]

Over 75 miles (120 km) of wiring was installed in the tunnel as part of a 2016 upgrade to the lighting, which saw the tunnel fitted with more energy efficient and longer-lasting LED lights.[7]

See also

References
  1. "Merseytravel Report on Mersey Tunnels Historical Legislation Overview" (PDF). Pinsent Masons. 18 September 2015. Retrieved 16 October 2021 – via tunnelusers.org.uk.
  2. ICE Virtual Tour
  3. "Mersey Tunnel Users Association – History". Tunnel Users. Retrieved 12 April 2017.
  4. "Mersey Crossing Study – The Mersey Gateway Project" (PDF). Mersey Gateway. Retrieved 29 September 2014.
  5. "Mersey Tunnels – Tolls Fees and Charges". www.merseytunnels.co.uk. Archived from the original on 25 March 2022. Retrieved 10 April 2022.
  6. "The European Tunnel Assessment Programme (EUROTAP) 2005 Inspections" (PDF). The AA. Retrieved 29 September 2014.
  7. "Major Kingsway Tunnel rewire begins". www.merseytravel.gov.uk. Retrieved 22 December 2017.
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