New Bridge over the Mersey

  • Rock Infra

The new dual three-lane bridge and associated link roads will form a major new transport route improving links between the Liverpool City region, north Cheshire and the wider North West to the rest of the country. It will also ease the significant congestion currently experienced by users of the Silver Jubilee Bridge, reducing journey times by up to 10 minutes at peak times.

Construction of the new bridge – known as the Mersey Gateway Bridge – is expected to begin in 2013 and is due to be open for traffic in 2016. The construction cost (including land) is around £600m which the Department for Transport will support with a mixture of capital grant and continued revenue funding for PFI payments.

The existing Silver Jubilee Bridge, located 1.5 miles to the west of the planned bridge, will be converted into a local traffic bridge with priority for buses and improved conditions for pedestrians and cyclists. There will be toll charges for those using both crossings to help fund a significant proportion of the scheme. The funding provides for discount schemes, which would be prioritised for local and regular users.
Transport Secretary Philip Hammond said:

“The Mersey Gateway Bridge is an important transport project which will improve journeys and boost economic growth. It will not only provide much needed traffic relief for the existing Silver Jubilee Bridge, but also help to regenerate the Borough of Halton, the Liverpool city region and the wider north west by improving transport links, maximising local development and regional economic growth opportunities.

“In response to the Government’s request to reduce costs, Halton Borough Council have achieved savings of around £30m on the original proposed cost – meaning the scheme will offer better value to the taxpayer, whilst bringing vital improvements to the region. Further cost savings are expected through a competitive procurement process.
“I was determined to ensure that the agreed funding package represented a robust and sustainable funding model for the bridge that protected both the taxpayers and the residents of Halton. This is a good result.

“We have already committed to support local transport schemes across England to the value of £870m in the current spending review period, with a further £650m worth of schemes expected to be funded in December. This means we will have invested £1.5bn on improving local transport across the country in the current spending review period.”

The benefits of the new bridge include:

  • Relieving congestion on the Silver Jubilee Bridge and improving public transport links across the River Mersey between the two parts of Halton
  • Improving accessibility in the region
  • Improving local air quality and enhancing the urban environment
  • Encouraging increased use of cycling and walking

Steve Nicholson, Director, Mersey Gateway Project, said:

“We have been working very closely with Government over recent months to finalise the details of this agreement and I am delighted with the results. This agreement represents the best possible deal for the public purse and means that we can focus on delivering a project that will bring benefits to local people, commuters and businesses from across the region.”

Mark Swindell of Rock Infrastructure will become Commercial Director of the Mersey Gateway Project.

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Driving Net Zero: How Rock Road 
Is Funding the UK’s Bus Transition

Accelerating the shift to clean, affordable, zero-emission transport

Year
2025
Category
Rock Road
Share

The Challenge

The UK bus network is at the heart of everyday travel – but over 30,000 diesel buses still need replacing to achieve a fully zero-emission fleet.

While around 5,000 battery-electric buses are already on the road, the high upfront cost of electric vehicles and depot electrification continues to slow the transition. Traditional funding routes — such as government grants or short-term bank finance – have helped start the journey but cannot support decarbonisation at the scale required.

A new, sustainable funding model was needed: one that could attract long-term capital, spread costs fairly, and give operators and authorities confidence in the future.

The Solution

In 2021, Rock launched Rock Road to deliver exactly that –  applying its proven infrastructure financing approach from the rail sector to the UK’s clean bus revolution.

Working with Aviva, the National Wealth Fund, and HSBC, Rock created a dedicated investment platform that channels infrastructure-style finance from pension funds and institutional investors directly into zero-emission bus projects.

This model provides:
  • Access to billions in long-term private capital for fleets and depot electrification.
  • Low-cost, sustainable finance tailored to public-sector needs.
  • Comprehensive risk transfer, including residual value and battery performance, supported by Rock’s in-house team of engineers and asset managers.

Impact

The platform has already raised £100 million, with capacity to scale to £1 billion per year over the next decade – providing a consistent source of affordable capital for local authorities and operators.

Rock’s model ensures that the total cost of ownership (TCO) of electric buses can now be lower than diesel equivalents, thanks to both cheaper long-term finance and reduced operating costs.

In London, Rock has financed 120 zero-emission buses under 7-year leases aligned with Transport for London’s contract lengths. This structure gives operators flexibility and certainty:

  • Buses can be returned, renewed, or upgraded at the end of term.
  • Lease rates are predictable and capped.
  • Ownership and residual risks sit with Rock, not the operator.

The Future

Rock Road’s ambition is to support the rollout of zero-emission fleets across the UK – helping local authorities and operators meet climate goals without overextending public budgets.

By leveraging limited government funding to attract large-scale private capital – for example, £10 million of public investment unlocking over £250 million in total funding – Rock’s model accelerates decarbonisation while keeping costs low for the public sector.

Our ambition is to make electric buses the default choice - not because of subsidy, but because they are the best economic and environmental option.
Louis Swindell
Commercial Director, Rock Road