Newcastle's Tyne Bridge repairs to start in September

A major project to restore the Tyne Bridge to its former glory is due to start in September.

Work has been planned for years although council bosses have struggled to secure funding of more than £40m.

Drivers have been warned of major disruption from early next year, which will see traffic reduced to one lane in each direction over the busy route.

Newcastle City Council said it was "working hard" to ensure good public transport links.

Transport chiefs have finalised plans for the renovation scheme, which could last up to four years after inspections revealed the bridge was in an even worse condition than had been feared.

Initial works will begin in September, once the colony of kittiwakes that nest on the Grade II-listed landmark during the spring and summer have left, starting with steelwork repairs on the Gateshead end of the crossing.

The council said on Wednesday the main phase of the revamp would begin in earnest in early-2024.

Labour leader Nick Kemp said it was committed "to preserving our iconic Tyne Bridge for future generations".

"For many the Tyne Bridge is a symbol of home and we welcome this progress," he said.

"We are unrelenting in our passion to see our much-loved bridge restored to its former glory, but this will require up to four years of refurbishment due to the huge scale of works required.

"I am sure everyone will get behind us due to the huge importance of the bridge to our city and region, as we all want to see it shining proudly in the Tyneside skyline once again."

The prospect of halving the number of lanes on the bridge, which is used by 70,000 vehicles every day, has prompted fears of major congestion lasting for years.

Council officials said they were "looking at a number of ways to help people plan their journeys, including promoting alternative routes and improving public transport links to ease disruption".

Newcastle and Gateshead councils were awarded £35.3m from the government in 2022.

However, that money is yet to be handed over and the two authorities have now submitted final documents to the Department for Transport to secure its release, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

It added the initial phase of the works would be paid for by the councils' own £6.1m contribution.

As well as a full repaint of the bridge, contractors Esh will be tasked with a series of critical structural repairs, including steel and concrete fixes, drainage improvements and bridge joint replacement.

This refurbishment will be the first major maintenance on the Tyne Bridge since 2001.

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