Redheugh Bridge repairs could exceed £1m

Repairs to a bridge which carries traffic into a city centre could cost more than £1m.

The Redheugh Bridge, which spans the River Tyne between Newcastle and Gateshead, is suffering from crumbling concrete and damage to a drainage pipe.

A meeting of the Gateshead Newcastle joint bridge committee in December heard how the cracks in the concrete could "pose a risk to the public and Network Rail users beneath the bridge".

However, Newcastle City Council engineers are "comfortable" the bridge poses no danger to the public at this stage, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

Spalling - the deterioration of steel reinforced concrete - has been found on two of the bridge's piers.

One of the piers stands within a car park used by Network Rail and LNER employees, while the second stands in a public car park. Both areas have been cordoned off.

Copings on the western face of the bridge were also found to have suffered from cracks and spalling.

A quote received by Newcastle City Council said the concrete repairs would cost £538,133.

A deck drainage pipe on the north pier of the central main span of the bridge is also damaged and blocked.

In October, it was discovered water had built up inside the deck void and a "long-term solution to [the] drainage issue to prevent damage to the structure is required".

The committee heard the repairs could cost more than £1m in total.

The current structure is the third iteration of the Redheugh Bridge and was opened in 1983 by Princess Diana.

The original bridge was opened in 1871 but needed to be replaced in 1901 because of structural faults.

Issues around its current state come amid ongoing transport issues across Tyne and Wear.

The Gateshead flyover is currently closed due to issues with its concrete, while only one lane in each direction is open on the Tyne Bridge as essential repairs are carried out.

Metro train passengers also regularly face delays due to frequent breakdowns of the network's aging trains and infrastructure.

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