Multi-million-pound Tyne Bridge refurbishment starts after Great North Run

An ‘ambitious’ four-year refurbishment programme will start on the Tyne Bridge after it carried this year’s runners in the ‘world’s greatest half-marathon’, the Great North Run.

The first phase of the £32m programme will see engineers begin erecting scaffolding below the bridge deck around the Gateshead tower, which will have minimal impact on the travelling public.

From 2024, lane closures will be required as work moves on to the arch and road deck of the Tyne Bridge itself, to ensure the iconic structure can be safely restored. Councils will be announcing mitigation measures and advising on alternative travel options later in the autumn.

Cllr Nick Kemp, Leader of Newcastle City Council, said: “We’re delighted the work is getting underway to see our much-loved bridge restored to its former glory. With all eyes on the Tyne Bridge during what will be a fantastic Great North Run, with 60,000 runners and the famous Red Arrows flypast, we will all see how urgently this restoration work is required.

“This is a very complex and challenging programme - with many constraints we need to work around to protect the heritage of the bridge, manage disruption to traffic and ensure the kittiwakes are protected.

“The project will take up to four years of restoration and refurbishment due to the scale of works required. There is huge support across the region for this work to get underway, as we all want to see our much-loved bridge shining proudly in the Tyneside skyline once again.”

Councillor Martin Gannon, Leader of Gateshead Council, added: “The Tyne Bridge is an important landmark for the whole of the North East and we want to see this iconic structure brought back to the standard we all expect to see.

“We’re going to need everyone in the region who loves the bridge to do their bit to help us minimise the disruption that the restoration will cause to the transport network. It will be a proud day when our Tyne Bridge is restored to its former glory, ready for its centenary.”

With the Tyne Bridge being home to over 1,000 pairs of kittiwakes, the furthest inland breeding colony of kittiwakes in the world, all aspects of the refurbishment programme have been developed in consultation with wildlife groups to minimise disruption to this protected species.

With the kittiwakes having departed for the year now, the first phase of work will see scaffolding erected around the Gateshead tower, which will take around three months. The scaffolding will allow the steelwork adjacent to the Gateshead tower and above ‘By the River Brew’ to be fully sheeted which will protect the environment during the works.

By Matthew Neville – Senior Correspondent, Bdaily

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