Lead engineer on Tyne Bridge restoration thanks commuters for patience

Repair works to the Tyne Bridge are expected to finish in 2028, ahead of its centenary. Credit: NCJ Media

The lead engineer on the restoration of the Tyne Bridge has thanked commuters for their patience after the bridge's traffic capacity was effectively halved.

On 2 April 2024, Newcastle City Council engineers began works to preserve the bridge in time for its centenary in 2028.

Pamela Holmes, Assistant Director of Transport at Newcastle City Council, said: "We want to thank commuters who have listened to our advice over the first fortnight of works on the Tyne Bridge.

"This is a huge project for the region. We are restoring a national icon and we know the entire region wants to see the bridge back to its best.

"We know that reducing the number of lanes on the bridge does cause disruption on routes into the city centre, particularly at rush hour.

"That is why we have been so vocal in recent weeks, in the lead up to the closures being put in place, so we can minimise that disruption as much as possible."

The works will see over 900 steelwork repairs carried out as well as grit blasting and re-painting, concrete repairs, drainage improvements, stonework and masonry repairs, bridge deck waterproofing and resurfacing, parapet protection and bridge joint replacement.

For the duration of the repairs, the bridge has been reduced to one lane in each direction, effectively halving the capacity of a route used by 70,000 vehicles a day.

The first two weeks of lane closures has seen the expected increase in journey times, the council said.

In figures they released, they said they have seen an average peak journey time travelling north from Gateshead Stadium to the bridge of 18 minutes in the morning, and 14 in the evening.

Travelling southbound from Cowgate junction to the bridge, the average journey time was 10 minutes in the morning and 24 minutes in the evening, they said.

The four-year programme is expected to be complete in summer 2028.

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