New ventilation jet fans installed in Kingsway Tunnel as part of ongoing improvements

New £1.5m jet fans have been installed to improve ventilation and safety in the Kingsway Tunnel as part of a new approach to commissioning our on-going investment programme.

The 36 new fans have been sourced by a specialist external supplier and installed by our own maintenance teams and are quieter and more efficient than the previous 32-fan system that had come to end of their operational life.

Located along the roof of the tunnel, the fans provide a critical function by keeping fresh air flowing through the tunnel and are reversible to help clear smoke and fumes in the event of an emergency.

The 3.8m long, 635kg fans also feature heat and vibration early detection sensors, linked to Mersey Tunnel’s maintenance systems to allow remote monitoring as an additional safety and efficiency improvement.

Through increased energy efficiency, the new jet fans also support the Combined Authority’s journey towards Net Zero.

As part of the upgrade approximately 1km of power and data cabling has been installed.

Cllr Steve Foulkes, Chair of the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority Transport Committee, said:

“We are constantly striving to make sure that the Mersey Tunnels remain some of the safest tunnels of their kind in Europe for their age, and this latest investment is another commitment towards this.

“The tunnels need continued investment to keep them open and up to modern safety standards. This work, alongside the £11m LED lighting scheme in the Queensway Tunnel, is also a big part of our push towards Mayor Steve Rotheram’s pledge to make our city region Net Zero by 2035.”

The new jet fans are high temperature rated, allowing them to operate in an emergency at 300°C for 2 hours.

Supplied by specialist external contractors, they have been installed by the Combined Authority’s in-house maintenance team, which carried out the upgrade during the tunnel’s scheduled evening maintenance closures, meaning no additional disruption to tunnel users.

With a combined age of 143 years the Queensway (Birkenhead) and Kingsway (Wallasey) tunnels require millions of pounds each year to help keep them open and safe, as well as a future investment programmes to ensure the Combined Authority can provide the cross-river services people of Liverpool City Region deserve.

The installation of the new fans follows on from the recently completed £11m LED lighting upgrade in the Queensway (Birkenhead) Tunnel.

Over the last 18 months, 1058 new LED lights, 100,000 metres of power cabling and 230 new electricity distribution boards have been installed in the Queensway, which will help reduce the tunnels carbon output by 220 tonnes (or 60%) each year and contribute towards Mayor Rotheram’s target to make the city region Net Zero by 2035.