Work to start on Tyne Bridge refurbishment

In the UK, Esh Construction was appointed by Newcastle and Gateshead councils in June 2022 to carry out the €48.5 million programme of repairs.
By David Arminas March 11, 2024 Read time: 2 mins
Completion of work is expected in 2028 to mark the centenary of the 389m-long and 17m-wide through arch steel bridge (image © David Shaun Dodds/Dreamstime)

Work will start April 2 on refurbishing the Tyne Bridge between Newcastle and Gateshead after month of waiting for €41 million of UK government funding.

Esh Construction was appointed by Newcastle and Gateshead councils in June 2022 to carry out the €48.5 million programme of repairs. Last September Scaffolding work by Infrastructure Site Services was started in preparation for ESH’s main bridge works.

Completion of work is expected in 2028 to mark the centenary of the 389m-long and 17m-wide through arch steel bridge whose main arch span is around 162m.

The bridge over the River Tyne in north East England was designed by engineering firm Mott, Hay and Anderson which went on to design the Forth Road Bridge in Scotland.

Government funding of €41 million was confirmed in February, according to Newcastle City Council. The total €48.5 million package includes upgrade to the A167 Central Motorway in Newcastle.

A full programme will be set out in due course, detailing the phasing of the refurbishment which will see various sections of the iconic structure clad in scaffolding over the four-year period. Scheduling of the central motorway upgrade will also be confirmed in the coming weeks.

The full programme to the Tyne Bridge includes steelwork repairs, full grit blasting and re-painting, concrete repairs, drainage improvements, stonework and masonry repairs, bridge deck waterproofing and resurfacing, parapet protection and bridge joint replacement.

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