The restoration of the Tyne Bridge has taken another major step forward after a contractor was appointed to return the North East icon to its former glory.
Two weeks after a long-awaited £41m refurbishment of both the bridge and the Central Motorway was finally approved by the government, Durham-based firm Esh Construction has been handed a contract to carry out the vital works. The Tyne Bridge has been in an increasingly rusted and dilapidated state for years, having now gone two decades without major maintenance, and local leaders are desperate to have its revamp completed in time for the crossing’s centenary in 2028.
A major inspection of the Grade II* listed bridge to assess the true scale of the repairs it requires is now starting and is likely to mean it will be closed to traffic at times – though exact details of when it will be shut have not been confirmed. Esh bosses have promised to minimise disruption for motorists who use the bridge and the Quayside roads underneath it, while also pledging to protect the kittiwakes that nest on it. The restoration work is expected to begin later this year.
