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Major Tunnels Investment: 29 March 2010; Merseytravel is to invest more than £5 million in improvements and upgrades to the two Mersey Tunnels.

This includes resurfacing the Kingway Tunnel roadway, recladding the inside of the Queensway Tunnel and replacing some 6,000 lights.

Neil Scales, chief executive of Merseytravel, said:“This work is essential and will maintain the reputation of tunnels as being among the safest in Europe.

“It will be the biggest maintenance operation we have undertaken in the tunnels for more than a decade and will mean a number of night closures but we will keep disruption to a minimum. The work has been planned to avoid congestion when there are special events.

“The results will be that for motorists using the Kingsway there will be a smoother ride and the Queensway will be brighter, cleaner and more attractive to drive through.”

Week-end work on resurfacing the Kingsway begins later this month with closure of the northbound tube from 7pm Friday evening until 6:30am Monday mornings.

The following weekend the Southbound tube will be closed and there will in all a total of 26 week-end closures with contraflow systems in operation.

Closures will normally start at 7pm but will be delayed until 11pm on football match nights.

Work on cladding the Queensway Tunnel is due to start in May and night closures will initially be for four nights a week.

Mr Scales explained:” The existing cladding has come to the end of it`s useful economic life.and had always proved difficult to clean. The new cladding will be much easier to clean and will improve the reflected light within the tunnel.”

Full details of the closures will be posted on the Mersey Tunnels website at www.merseytunnels.co.uk; Back to Media Centre