Restoration work begins on the Tyne Bridge

Long-awaited works to restore the Tyne Bridge to its former glory have finally begun.

Monday morning marked the start of the famous bridge’s first major maintenance for more than 20 years.

Engineers are beginning the project by erecting scaffolding around the tower on the Gateshead side of the river, something which is expected to take three months.

The huge refurbishment scheme could last up to four years in total and it is hoped that the works will be completed before the Tyne Bridge’s centenary in 2028.

Drivers have been warned to prepare for severe disruption from early next year, when the main bulk of the renovations begin and the bridge’s highway will have to be reduced from four lanes of traffic to just two.

The beginning of the repairs to the grade II* listed icon marks a significant milestone, after a long wait for the works to get going.

The Tyne Bridge’s rusting and increasingly dilapidated state has been high on the agenda for the region’s leaders for some time – with concerns not only about its peeling paintwork and shabby appearance, but also the structural safety of a crossing used by up to 70,000 vehicles every day.

After years of campaigning, the Government finally agreed to pay for the majority of the works in summer 2022.

Since then, however, there have been further worries. Inflation rates and the fact that the bridge was found to be in an even worse condition than originally thought have contributed to the cost of its revamp jumping by an estimated £12m, to a total of £32.6m.

As well as a full repaint of the rusted bridge, contractors Esh will be tasked with a series of critical structural repairs – including steel and concrete fixes, drainage improvements, stonework and masonry repairs, waterproofing and resurfacing, parapet protection and bridge joint replacement.

It will be the first time since 2001 that the Tyne Bridge has undergone major maintenance.

The first phase of works over this autumn and winter will see the steelwork adjacent to the Gateshead tower and above the By the River Brew Co bar to be fully covered.

Gateshead Council leader Martin Gannon said last week:

“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.”

Newcastle and Gateshead councils said last Thursday that they would announce some mitigation measures “later in the autumn”to help deal the expected traffic chaos as a result the bridge’s lane closures next year.

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