Queensway Emergency Escape Refuges, Liverpool

Client:Mersey Travel
Value:£13,500,000
Location:Liverpool

The work to construct the seven emergency escape refuges in the Mersey Queensway Road Tunnel has brought the tunnel into line with the highest European standards.

The refuges, which are capable of accommodating 180 people, have all been built below the roadway and are reached through highly visible access points in the tunnel walls. Each refuge is 21 metres long and three metres wide with fire resistant doors and ramps suitable for wheel chair access. A supply of bottled water and a toilet is provided in each refuge with all seven linked by walkways under the road surface.

In the event of an emergency, motorists are directed to the closest refuge via a public address system and by directional noise beacons and flashing arrows. Once inside the refuges motorists can communicate via a two-way audio-visual link with the Mersey Tunnels police control room. The refuges can accommodate people until emergency services guide them either back to their vehicles or along the tunnel under the road deck to shaft exits at the Liverpool or Birkenhead ends.

All of the material, plant and equipment needed to construct the refuges had to pass through a 2 metre x 2 metre opening in the four lane tunnel road surface. The majority of work was carried out with night time lane closures in operation with live traffic passing in two open lanes.