Runcorn Bridge

[Speke-EZY]

Hi everyone,

I drove over the the Runcorn Bridge at about 6.30 pm today and saw no sign of any work in progress,having taken the alternative route via the M62/M6 earlier to avoid the threatened delays.

Does anybody know if the "weekend lane closures to 27th November"
have now finished?

Cheers,Keith

[Beemer]

Just try crossing mid afternoon and you will see the queues. Most of the work in under the bridge, thats why you never see any workers and for "Health and Safety" reasons they restrict the bridge to two lanes. I don't know why either. The work is scheduled til' the end of the month and it can't come quick enough. Regards Beemer. If you want to check before you leave home look at the Bridge Cams website on this link,

www.halton.gov.uk/transport/haltononview.html

They are only still photos but keep clicking F5 and it updates.

[Deleted]

Keith,

Hopefully the work will be done by the end of the month. However if you are going across from Runcorn- join the bridge from Greenway Road, went over yesterday at about 13:30 and it took me about 7 minutes- came back via the Widnes link from from the town centre and drove straight up to the bridge- no delays.

Saw quite a few workers yesterday, sometime's when you don't see them is because they actually work under neath the bridge, hence the reason for the lane closures.

No excuses for not going to Liverpool Airport.

The work will finish up about 6.30 as it is dark. Yesterday it would have finished a bit earlier, because of the fireworks display.

Hope this helps

Bob

[Speke-EZY]

Thank you Beemer and Bob,

I did think an early end to the weekend lane restrictions was wishful thinking.

As is usually the case,this work and its associated delays will probably finish on 27th November only to be followed by the next job from 28th November "until March 2012"...and so on!

They should have kept the ferry (and the snig pie!).

Cheers,Keith

[Beemer]

I see our old friend has reared his ugly head again, no not you, the bridge. Weekend lane closures are to start again on January 27th. Yes we know there are ways around it if you hit it right but it still is a pain in the derriere. Regards Beemer.

[Speke-EZY]

Indeed Brian! I noticed the signs today. They only have a "from" date...so for ever presumably! :-(

[Speke-EZY]

For everyone affected by the curse of the Runcorn Bridge...

The signs yesterday said "Overnight lane closures until late February".

Although not "overnight" lanes were closed at 9.30 a.m. but there were no significant delays.

Coming back at lunchtime was a different matter with colossal queues in both directions.

It took me 20 minutes from the back of the queue on the expressway to the Subway shop/garage by the traffic lights on the Runcorn bypass.

...then a further 20 minutes from there to get on to the bridge itself.

Does anybody know if the major road works on the M62 west of the M6 junction cause this much chaos at weekends as that would be my alternative route?

[Beemer]

Keith if I was you I would do M56,M6, Thelwall Viaduct. J21A, M62 and home. The road works on the M62 shouldn't bother you as you only have about a mile of 50mph variable speed to contend with as it ends an Winwick and the reverse when going to MAN.(but could be a problem if you go before 09:00hrs during the week.) The bridge was a doddle for me yesterday as I took the Widnes Expressway onto the bridge and had only 6 cars to contend with while the traffic was backed up all along the Ford Road. Regards Beemer.

[Speke-EZY]

Thanks Brian,

That diversion adds less than five miles to my journey in either direction...much better than "bridge-related stress"!

Cheers,Keith