Editing River Mersey (section)

==River crossings==
[[File:Driving north on Mersey Gateway.jpg|thumb|upright=1.6|right|View of the [[Mersey Gateway]] bridge]]
Historically the lowest bridging point on the Mersey was at Warrington where there has been a bridge since [[medieval]] times.<ref>{{citation| url=http://www.merseyforest.org.uk/forest_plan/5warr.htm| title=Warrington Background and analysis| publisher=merseyforest.org.uk| access-date=25 August 2012| url-status=dead| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130619065522/http://www.merseyforest.org.uk/forest_plan/5warr.htm| archive-date=19 June 2013}}</ref><ref>{{citation | url=http://www.engineering-timelines.com/scripts/engineeringItem.asp?id=580| title= Warrington Bridge| publisher=Engineering timelines| access-date=25 August 2012}}</ref> The first [[ferry]] across the estuary was introduced in medieval times by monks from [[Birkenhead Priory]]. They transported travellers or accommodated them at the priory in bad weather.

Countless people died on the River Mersey until the advent of safe passage via bridges and tunnels.<ref name="Title 2016. pp. 204-237">Title; Across the Gap. Author; Jean M. Morris. Year 2016. Publisher; Springfield Farrihy Publishing; pp. 204–237</ref> Many of these deaths were of people who earned their living on the river, either as mariners or dock workers. The majority of mariners to die worked on the [[Mersey flat]] boats and drowned due to the weather conditions or poor craft maintenance, although many ordinary civilians perished too.<ref name="Title 2016. pp. 204-237"/> Another ferry existed at Runcorn Gap and by today's safety standards was highly dangerous. Passengers had to traverse wooden planks over the mud flats to reach the ferry boats which themselves were often poorly maintained and leaking. Even the steps down to the river bank were described as "beautifully slippery". In the dark the ferry was particularly worrying as there were few or no lights and the journey was only undertaken on a "needs must" basis. Complaints about the appalling conditions were reported in the local and national press consistently for over 40 years.<ref name="Title 2016. pp. 204-237"/>

In the early 19th century steam operated ferries were introduced.<ref name=NOC>{{citation |title =River Mersey |url =http://www.pol.ac.uk/home/insight/mersey.html |publisher =National Oceanography Centre |access-date =24 August 2012 |url-status =dead |archive-url =https://web.archive.org/web/20120202132311/http://www.pol.ac.uk/home/insight/mersey.html |archive-date =2 February 2012 }}</ref> The [[Mersey Ferry]], managed and operated by [[Merseytravel]], operates between [[Pier Head]] in Liverpool and [[Woodside, Merseyside|Woodside]] in Birkenhead and [[Seacombe]]. It has become a tourist attraction offering cruises that provide an overview of the river and surrounding areas.<ref>{{cite web |title=River Explorer Cruises |publisher=[[Mersey Ferries]] |url=http://www.merseyferries.co.uk/river-explorer/index.aspx |access-date=27 August 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100723133715/http://www.merseyferries.co.uk/river-explorer/index.aspx |archive-date=23 July 2010 }}</ref>

The [[Mersey Railway]] completed its tunnel through the estuary's underlying [[Triassic]] [[sandstone]] using manual labour in 1885. Intended as a [[pneumatic railway]], the company opted for steam trains from its opening until it was electrified in 1903. The centre of the running tunnel is between {{convert|30|ft|m|1}} and {{convert|70|ft|m|1}} below the river bed. The railway is now part of the [[Merseyrail]] network.<ref>{{Citation |url=http://www.engineering-timelines.com/scripts/engineeringItem.asp?id=1151|title=Mersey Railway|publisher= Engineering Timelines|access-date=25 August 2012}}</ref> Two road tunnels pass under the estuary from Liverpool. By road, the [[Queensway Tunnel]] opened in 1934 connecting the city to Birkenhead, and the [[Kingsway Tunnel]], opened in 1971, connects with [[Wallasey]].

Further upstream, the [[Runcorn Railway Bridge]] over the river at Runcorn Gap was built in the 1860s for the [[London and North Western Railway]] on the mainline between London and Liverpool. It had a [[cantilever]]ed footway providing an alternative crossing to a ferry.<ref>{{Citation |url=http://www.engineering-timelines.com/scripts/engineeringItem.asp?id=1153|title=Runcorn Rail Bridge|publisher= Engineering Timelines|access-date=25 August 2012}}</ref> In 1905 the now demolished [[Widnes-Runcorn Transporter Bridge]] opened and took cars and passengers via a cable car. The [[Silver Jubilee Bridge]], completed in 1961, is immediately adjacent.<ref>{{NHLE | num=1130421| desc= Runcorn Widnes Road Bridge| access-date=25 August 2012|mode=cs2}}</ref>

East of Warrington, the [[M6 motorway]] crosses the river and the Manchester Ship Canal on the [[Thelwall Viaduct]]. When the viaduct opened in 1963, it was the longest motorway bridge in England.<ref name="CIHT">[http://www.ciht.org.uk/motorway/m6prewar.htm M6 Warrington to Preston (J20 to J29)], accessed on 4 August 2012</ref> A second viaduct alongside opened in 1995; northbound traffic uses the old viaduct and southbound the new.

A new 6-lane bridge, the "[[Mersey Gateway]]", between Runcorn and Widnes began its construction phase in May 2014 and opened just after midnight on 14 October 2017.<ref name=":0" /> At the same time the Silver Jubilee Bridge was closed to undergo maintenance for approximately 6–12 months, but remained open to pedestrians and cyclists.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.merseygateway.co.uk/about-the-mersey-gateway-project/future-of-the-silver-jubilee-bridge/|title=Future of the Silver Jubilee Bridge {{!}} The Mersey Gateway Project|website=merseygateway.co.uk|language=en-GB|access-date=2017-10-27}}</ref> The new bridge uses tolls and the existing Silver Jubilee Bridge is also tolled open to local traffic.