THE Mersey Tunnel 10k will take place from Vauxhall, Liverpool to New Brighton, via the Kingsway Tunnel tomorrow (Sunday, April 16).

The race is back for the 17th time this weekend and will see more than a thousand runners take on the challenge.

The Mersey Tunnel 10K was reintroduced to the Merseyside sporting calendar back in 2006 and after a break in 2020 because of the global pandemic is back once again in 2023.

Route

The Tunnel 10K is a point to point race starting at Bevington Bush which is at bottom of Paul Street.

The start line has shifted just a matter of yards due to overgrown trees on the normal start line. It follows a course through the Kingsway Tunnel to emerge on the Wirral side of the River Mersey where runners pass along Oakdale Road, Dock Road and Birkenhead Road to the promenade at the Wallasey ferry terminal.

It the heads along the promenade to finish Ian Fraser Walk alongside Marine Point in New Brighton. This is between Morrisons and the Clown Roundabout at King’s Parade

Start time

The race will begin at 9.30am.

Travel

Train: The nearest train station to Paul Street / Bevington Bush is Moorfields and the start area is approximately a 15 minute walk from this station along Moorfields to Tithebarn Street then Pall Mall, Leeds Street, Vauxhall Road as far as Balckstock Street. 

The nearest main line train station is Lime Street which is a 25 minute walk from the start area.

Car: Paul Street is situated just off Vauxhall Road and the nearest official car park is located at Pall Mall (the original start line of the race).

Road closures

The event start line is positioned at the top of the tunnel emergency exit road at Blackstock Street. Other than Blackstock Street itself there are no other road closures on the Liverpool side.

Road closures will be in place from 9.30am until approximately 12.00pm on the day of the race.

The westbound side of Dock Road will remain open and the northbound side of Birkenhead Road will be passable with care as the runners will cross from left to right off the roundabout at the bottom of Kelvin Road. Traffic will not be able to pass from Tower Road to Birkenhead Road whilst the race is in progress. Residents in Birkenhead Road will be able to exit the road via Church Road, returning via Kelvin Road. Residents in Borough Road East/Demesne Street and Seacombe View can exit via the roundabout at Victoria Place through Church Road southwards.

The affected roads will be opened as soon as the last runner passes each point which at Victoria Place will be approximately 10:30am. Diversionary routes on the approaches to all of these roads will be in place on the morning.

Bus diversions

Route 411 will operate as normal from New Brighton to Brighton Road then via St Pauls Road, Wheatland Lane, Poulton Road, Gorsey Lane, Duke Street , Corporation Road, Rendel Street, Tower Road to Tower Wharf and resume normal route to Birkenhead (omitting Church Road, Seacombe Ferry (Victoria Place), Birkenhead Road, and Tower Road).

Route 411 will operate as normal from Woodside to Tower Road then via Dock Road, Gorsey Lane, Poulton Road, Wheatland Lane, St Pauls Road, Church Road to Brighton Road and resume normal route to New Brighton (omitting Birkenhead Road, Seacombe Ferry (Victoria Place), and Church Road).

Route 423 will commence Brighton Road near Keegan Drive (omitting Seacombe Ferry Terminal).