FEARS were growing last night that the Bidston Moss viaduct which provides a key link between Wirral and Liverpool is set to be demolished.
The Highways Agency has ordered a full investigation after millions of pounds and years of attempts to shore up the existing structure have failed to solve its problems.
Officials from the Agency last night admitted demolition was one of the options they were considering and one source told the Daily Post that the bridge would probably have to come down.
Strengthening work has just been completed to allow HGVs over the viaduct bridge, although the lorries will still be restricted to one lane.
Charles McKeown, vice-chairman of the Federation of Small Businesses in Wirral, said that the traffic problems caused by demolishing and rebuilding the viaduct would have a massive impact on Wirral firms who depend on the link to Liverpool.
It is the main route to the Wallasey (Kingsway) Tunnel under the River Mersey and is used by more than 50,000 vehicles daily including 3,000 heavy goods vehicles.
In January, 2005, the decision was taken to ban heavy goods vehicles completely from the viaduct as a safety measure.
Heavy vehicles travelling to and from the tunnel along the M53 were diverted via Junction 1 around the roundabout and then back onto the motorway via the parallel slip road.
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