Four-year restoration of the Tyne Bridge to start
The long-awaited restoration of Newcastle's Tyne Bridge is due to get underway today.
From Monday 11 September, a four-year refurbishment programme will start, 22 years after the last major maintenance works were carried out.
The first phase of the programme, costing £32m, will see engineers start to put scaffolding below the bridge deck around the Gateshead tower. This will have minimal impact on the travelling public, Newcastle City Council said.
From next year, lane closures will be required as work moves on to the arch and road deck of the Tyne Bridge.
The restoration begins immediately after this year's Great North Run, which sees thousands of runners take part in the the world's largest half marathon over the iconic structure as the red arrows fly past.
Councillor 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."
In order to carry out the restoration works, the schedule of works was developed in consultation with wildlife groups to minimise disruption to the protected species.
Cllr Kemp added: “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.”
A £41.4m funding bid for the Tyne Bridge, together with refurbishment works to central motorway, was submitted to the Department for Transport in 2019 and confirmed last summer.
The Government will be providing £35.3m for the refurbishment and Newcastle and Gateshead councils contributing £6.1m.
The first phase of work in which scaffolding will be erected around the Gateshead tower is expected to take about three months.
The scaffolding will allow the steelwork adjacent to the Gateshead tower and above By the River Brew to be fully sheeted, protecting the environment during the works.
So-called kittiwake hotels and nesting ledges will be built onto scaffold towers which the kittiwakes can use when they return for the breeding season next year.
Cllr Martin Gannon, Leader of Gateshead Council, said: “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.”
Major works are usually carried out on an 18-20 year cycle, and councils have been trying to secure funding since 2016.
From early 2024 the Tyne Bridge will be reduced to one lane in each direction in order to carry out the works, and is likely to last for a significant duration or the restoration.
Both councils are expected to announce measures to minimise the impact and highlight alternative travel routes later in the autumn.
It is hoped the Tyne Bridge restoration works will maintain the capacity of the bridge and future proof the route by alleviating the need for continual ad-hoc maintenance works.
Also expected to happen next year is steelwork repairs, grit blasting and re-painting, concrete repairs, drainage improvements, stonework and masonry repairs.
Bridge deck waterproofing and resurfacing, parapet protection and bridge joint replacement will finish the refurbishment works.
The work is being carried out by local contractor Esh Construction.
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