Improving safety at Mersey Tunnel

Consultant Parsons Brinckerhoff will upgrade the fire fighting systems in the Mersey Tunnel in the UK. This move will improve the tunnel’s safety measures and bring it into line with stringent new requirements being introduced right across Europe. Under the terms of the deal international consultant Parsons Brinckerhoff has a contract to help Merseyside Integrated Transport Authority upgrade and modernise fire fighting systems in the Kingsway tunnels, which are two of the longest road tunnels in the UK. The
April 19, 2012 Read time: 2 mins
Consultant 4983 Parsons Brinckerhoff will upgrade the fire fighting systems in the Mersey Tunnel in the UK. This move will improve the tunnel’s safety measures and bring it into line with stringent new requirements being introduced right across Europe. Under the terms of the deal international consultant Parsons Brinckerhoff has a contract to help Merseyside Integrated Transport Authority upgrade and modernise fire fighting systems in the Kingsway tunnels, which are two of the longest road tunnels in the UK. The twin bore tunnels run 2.25km between Liverpool and Wallasey under the River Mersey and were originally built in the 1970s. The fire fighting infrastructure is now in need of upgrade to meet European regulations, which were introduced following fatalities in serious tunnel fires in Austria and Switzerland. Parsons Brinckerhoff is evaluating the existing fire fighting facilities in the twin tunnels and will design new systems along with nearly 100 fire hydrant points along the routes. The company has assisted the client in its selection of a main contractor and will now provide management and inspection services throughout the contractor’s installation contract. The demanding programme has seen Parsons Brinckerhoff leading feasibility, detailed design and programme management in close coordination with the client and other stakeholders including the emergency services. Final design proposals cover the tunnels and approach highways and include an installation approach to minimise disruption. Maintaining the integrity of the fire fighting protection on this busy commuter route during the works is essential and passenger safety has been a major priority
Detection, Monitoring & Machine Vision

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • Parsons Brinckerhoff wins consultancy services contract
    October 31, 2014
    Engineering consultant Parsons Brinckerhoff has secured a nine-year contract with Somerset County Council in the UK to provide engineering consultancy services. Anticipated activity under the framework contract will cover a diverse range of services, including: transportation studies; design of transport improvement and maintenance schemes; environmental planning and consultancy; highways safety studies; structures inspections; and construction management. The contract has been drafted to enable othe
    Read More
  • New Mersey crossing ends Halton’s congestion misery
    December 5, 2017
    Plagued by intolerable congestion but denied government funding for its solution, tiny Halton Borough Council relentlessly pursued its vision and achieved what many believed impossible. Halton may be a small local authority in north west England, but it had a big traffic problem. However, as the road, or more particularly the bridge, involved was not deemed a strategic route, central government would not commission or even fund a solution - a problem that many other local authorities will recognise.
    Read More
  • Mexico’s Durango-Mazatlan highway sets tunnel safety standard
    September 14, 2016
    Mauro Nogarin looks at the management of the longer tunnels on Mexico’s Durango-Mazatlan highway. In recent years the National Infrastructure Fund of Mexico has increased investment in the installation of ITS systems on selected highways to increase road safety. One such major investment is the 230km long Durango-Mazatlan highway which is 12m in width and has an average speed of 110km/h.
    Read More
  • EU support for rail improvements in the UK to bring faster travel times
    December 12, 2012
    The European Union is to co-finance a project to electrify a 58 km section of British rail infrastructure with US$6.5 million from the TEN-T Programme. The project, which was selected for funding under the 2011 TEN-T Annual Call, is part of the Railway/road axis Ireland/United Kingdom/continental Europe TEN-T Priority Project 26, and will bring considerable benefits to rail traffic in the area. The project consists of the works necessary to install a 25kV AC overhead electrification line on a 58 km single
    Read More

Highlighted Content