Central Motorway repairs could be cut back to fund Tyne Bridge restoration as costs spiral

Councillors are being warned of "significant" increases in the cost of repairing the Tyne Bridge - with the warning that planned repairs to the central motorway could be delayed or abandoned to fund the work.

It was recently revealed the state of the iconic structure is much worse than previously feared, with works to repair it now scheduled to take around four years - twice as long as first thought.

This, combined with high levels of inflation mean that local authorities in Newcastle and Gateshead will face a much higher bill to cover the cost of repairs than originally thought, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

Funding amounting to around £41.4 million, largely provided by central Government, was agreed in the summer to pay for repairs to the bridge itself and the central motorway with £20.7 to be allocated to each project.

However, this spend will now need to be 'reprofiled' as the Department for Transport said no extra funding is available.

A report due to be seen by Newcastle and Gateshead councillors said: “Since the original funding bid was submitted there has been a significant increase in inflation costs in the construction industry. This has resulted in the estimated costs for the proposed works significantly increasing. 

“The council are currently working with the contractor to finalise these costs.  The councils have spoken with Department for Transport regarding the anticipated increase in scheme costs and they have stated that at this time there is no additional funding available from the Major Road Network programme. 

“Officers are continuing to explore further funding options, however, we would look to re-allocate funding within the full £41.4m package, to ensure the Tyne Bridge was fully restored. The central motorway works would then need to be reprofiled. This work is being scoped by engineers.”

Among the problems identified in a detailed inspection of the grade II listed bridge were peeling paintwork, corroding steel, cracks in the concrete and damage to the pavements and road surface.

The repairs would be the first major maintenance work conducted on the Tyne Bridge in more than twenty years.

The work has been moved back until August 2023, partly due to engineers having to work around the nesting season for kittiwakes which live on the bridge.

Two lanes of traffic will have to be shut for the duration of the works, with a likely knock-on effect for drivers coming in and out of the city.

A spokesperson for Newcastle and Gateshead councils said that they are “committed to ensuring that the Tyne Bridge works are completed in full” and that that work would be prioritised over the motorway repairs.

Cllr Jane Byrne, Newcastle City Council’s cabinet member for transport, said: “The Tyne Bridge is an iconic symbol of the North East and we remain committed to restoring it to its former glory and preserving it for future generations. 

“As this report sets out, this is a very challenging and complex project, having to balance rising costs with the full extent of the refurbishment works required. We will be working closely with partners to finalise the costings, programming and mitigation measures to reduce congestion on the main gateway in and out of the city.

“There is more work to be done on this ahead of finalising costings and programming and I look forward to working with partners to see this iconic structure fully restored and shining proudly in the Newcastle skyline once again.”

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