The Chronicle (South Tyneside and Durham)
Your bridge questions spanning traffic to kittiwakes answered
A MASSIVE restoration project to return the Tyne Bridge to its former glory is set to start in earnest this week. The icon’s first major maintenance in more than two decades comes after years of waiting and a protracted saga over funding. It’s set to cause significant disruption around Tyneside for some time, with the bridge’s capacity having to be cut in half during a large section of the works. As the renovations get under way, Daniel Holland has everything you need to know about the Tyne Bridge’s facelift.
When does the work start and how long will it last?
While some initial preparatory works on the Tyne Bridge began last autumn, the main and most disruptive phase of the restoration will start tomorrow, Tuesday, April 2.
The works, to be carried out by Esh Construction, are expected to last for four years and it is hoped that they will be completed by the summer of 2028 – in time for the bridge’s centenary celebrations in the October of that year.
What lane restrictions are there going to be on the bridge?
For a large section of the huge engineering project, the capacity of the Tyne Bridge will be cut in half, reducing it to one lane of traffic in each direction. Tomorrow and Wednesday these restrictions will be in force at off-peak times during the day (expected to be between 9.30am and 3.30pm), as was the case over recent weeks when scaffolding was being erected around the Gateshead side of the bridge.
A full overnight closure will be in place from 8pm on Wednesday evening and the bridge will then reopen at 6am on Thursday – from which point the lane restrictions will be in place 24 hours a day.
The half-capacity restrictions are expected to be in place for a minimum of two years, with further temporary lane closures and full overnight closures planned after that. How long will my journey be delayed?
The Tyne Bridge is one of the main routes in and out of Newcastle, carrying around 70,000 vehicles a day, so heavy congestion around the area is expected while there are lane restrictions in place on the crossing.
Motorists have been warned that their journeys could take between 30 and 40 minutes longer than usual at peak traffic times.
The start of the works coincides with the school Easter holidays, so the impact should be lighter for the first couple of weeks, before traffic returns to normal levels on Monday, April 15.
Major disruption is expected on all routes towards the Tyne Bridge from Newcastle and Gateshead, as well as on the Quayside and over the Swing and Redheugh bridges.
What alternatives are there to driving over the Tyne Bridge? Drivers are being urged to avoid driving over the bridge if they can, with businesses having been told to encourage working from home or stagger their start times.
People are advised to use bus or Metro services when travelling into Newcastle city centre or Gateshead town centre, or to walk or cycle.
Secure bike storage in Newcastle city centre is available at the Eldon