On Monday morning at 4am, I'll be riding through the middle of Liverpool. I need to get from the north bank of the Mersey to the south bank, but obviously the ferry doesn't run at that time of day.

How do I get across without going further east to find a bridge? Is there a road tunnel I could ride through?

Any advice/experience appreciated!

The only crossings are the 2 tunnels (no bikes) or the Runcorn Widnes bridge to the south.

There are two tunnels running under the mersey, queensway runs between liverpool and birkenhead and kingsway runs between liverpool and wallasey.

Whether bikes are allowed through there is a matter for the tunnel police. I have never seen bikes going through kingsway but I've seen a few going through queensway. I've done it once myself and some charity events have bikes going through there but I'd check with the tunnel police before setting off. At that time in the morning I don't suppose they'll mind. Both are quite steep mind, fast descent, long climb.

The trains don't run at that time and I bet they don't allow bikes on the tube anyway and the next available bridge is runcorn which is miles and miles away.

Both tunnel entrances can be found close to the city centre.

I enquired a few months to the tunnel police about riding through the birkenhead tunnel (queensway)and they started reeling off all times you can do it at certain times of the year (different for suimmer and winter I think). There were alot of dates and times thrown at me so I've kind of forgot now but it can definitely be done. You'll have to make a phone call to double check.

Driving through the tunnel the other evening at about 8pm and there was a cyclist in there.

Queensway more central but not by much.

You should have no problem at 4am but double check first incase new prohibitions in force.

Add you can take bikes on the 'underground' (not referred to as the 'tube' up here!)with all trains having cycle storage albeit a bit minimal. I think that they start at around 6am so this will probably be no good to you anyway.

Big descent, equally as big climb!

You can ride through the old Queensway tunnel at night I have done it my self. Its a bit spooky and disorientating when you enter the Liverpool end it twists and turns quite a lot and you cant get any impression of speed.

As for Underground versus Tube no one I know calls it either we always call it the Loop or the Miseryrail

Thanks for all the info guys. I will contact the tunnel fuzz [how rude!] and then ride through anyway.