The Mersey Tunnel tours have once again been recognised by national tourism VisitEngland as a Quality Assured Visitor Attraction.
The popular tour, consistently one of TripAdvisor’s top three most popular tours in Liverpool, attracts visitors from across the country and around the world.
Guided by knowledgeable staff, the tour gives visitors a sneak peek into the inner workings of the iconic Mersey Tunnels. Highlights include the Queensway (Birkenhead) Tunnels’ original 1930s control room and the giant fans which provide airflow to the tunnels, over 8 metres in diameter.
In their assessment of the attraction VisitEngland gave the tour a perfect 100% score, praising it as “a great visitor experience…an interesting story, made entertaining through the skills of the guides”. The agency also confirmed that the Mersey Tunnel Tours would be nominated for the prestigious ‘Best Told Story’ award, an accolade the attraction received previously in 2018.
The Mersey Tunnel tour began operating in 2006 with just one tour a week but interest and demand soon grew until there was a waiting list of six months. Now more than five thousand people take the Mersey Tunnel Tour each year, with tours operating three evenings per week and twice on Saturday. It is also possible to arrange further weekday tours by appointment.
Since the attraction reopened following the full relaxation of Coronavirus restrictions this summer, demand has been very high. Visitors have also been able to enjoy a tour around the exterior of the Grade II listed art deco Georges Dock building with the publication of a new Walking Tour booklet. A brand-new souvenir guide book is also on offer, published for the reopening of the tours this year.
Liam Robinson, transport portfolio holder for Liverpool City Region Combined Authority said: “It’s fantastic that our Mersey Tunnel Tours are once again being recognised by VisitEngland and particularly great that they’ve highlighted how brilliant our guides are. We’re extremely proud of the team who give the tours, who all have a real passion for telling the amazing story of the Mersey Tunnels.
“The Queensway Tunnel opened 87 years ago and the tour gives a unique look at the skill and workmanship that went into creating it. The attraction also gives visitors an understanding of the significant investment needed to keep the Mersey tunnels up-to-date and running safely and efficiently, and why a toll is necessary to allow this to happen.”
Up to 27 million vehicles each year cross under the River Mersey via the two Mersey road tunnels. The Liverpool City Region Combined Authority continues to invest in both tunnels to maximise availability and allow 24-hour cross river road travel, 365 days a year.
For further details or to book a tunnel tour visit www.merseytravel.gov.uk/tunneltours
