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.
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Steve Conn, pre-construction director at Esh, said: “As a regional contractor, we are delighted to be appointed to restore the iconic Tyne Bridge, marking the first major maintenance programme delivered on this structure in over two decades. However, we are aware of the sensitive nature of these works to both road and pedestrian users, and the kittiwakes which nest on the bridge.
"Minimising disruption for users as well as protecting the kittiwakes will be at the forefront of this project both in the initial assessment process and throughout the physical repair works. We want to emphasise that we are choosing methods of assessment which will minimise the need for traffic management measures and reduce the impact on users, for example, utilising Point Cloud investigation technology and rope access methods to measure and survey the bridge.”
Newcastle City Council said that disruption for the 70,000 vehicles per day that use the Tyne Bridge is likely to start in the week of June 27. After concerns were raised recently by a conservation group that the bridge refurbishment would pose the greatest ever risk to the kittiwakes, more than 1,000 pairs of which are thought to reside on the bridge and its towers, Esh said it would maintain nesting provision throughout the process and carry out the main works outside of breeding season.
Coun Jane Byrne, the council’s cabinet member for transport, said: “We are delighted to be making strong progress on the refurbishment of our much-loved bridge. We made sure we were ready to hit the ground running for when the funding would be confirmed, by getting the procurement process underway earlier this year.
“It’s great to have a local contractor with specialist knowledge working with us as we move towards seeing this iconic landmark, fully restored and shining proudly in the Newcastle skyline again.”
Gateshead Council’s transport chief, Coun John McElroy, added: "It’s fantastic to have the main contractor appointed so rapidly on a project that means a lot to everyone in the North East. The Tyne Bridge is a symbol of our whole region and we look forward to seeing the whole structure rejuvenated and back to its best.”
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