About the Project

Newcastle City Council and Gateshead Council, with the support of funding from the Department for Transport, are working with Esh Construction to deliver the major restoration programme.

Inspections

  • Esh Construction was appointed to deliver the project in 2022. In order to access the funding from the government, inspection works had to be completed to assess the condition of the structure and allow costings and phasing plans to be developed.

  • Inspection work which took place in summer 2022 revealed more damage than originally anticipated with corrosion of the steel work caused by peeling paintwork, damaged deck joints, leaking drains and damage to the road surface and pavements on the Grade II* listed structure. This has increased the scope and scale of the work required, as well as added to the length of the programme, which will last for up to four years.

Construction work explained

  • Repair works are required to restore the structure and future proof the route by alleviating the need for continual ad hoc maintenance works.

    The full programme includes steelwork repairs, concrete repairs, drainage improvements, stonework and masonry repairs, bridge deck waterproofing and resurfacing, parapet protection and bridge joint replacement.

  • To re-paint the bridge, first it must be surface blasted to remove oil, dirt, grease, scale, rust, previous paint coatings and foreign matter.

    For health and safety purposes, this will be completed in phases behind a closed scaffold which means passers-by won't be able to see what is happening until the scaffold is removed.

    Due to the Grade II* listed status, the paint colour used will be British Standard BS14C39 or ‘Greenwood’, which is a colour as close to the original as possible (British Standard BS4800).

  • The bridge deck is the carriageway and footway section of the bridge. To allow structural repair work to be completed safely on the bridge deck, essential traffic restrictions will be in place throughout the project. Vehicle and pedestrian access will be maintained however from time to time there will be changes to the layout of traffic management as the project moves throughout different phases.

    On the bridge deck, new kerbs, bridge joints and drainage will be installed and deck waterproofing will be completed. A scaffold crash deck will be installed above the bridge deck to allow work to be carried out on the main arch.

  • Work below the bridge deck, will get underway in September 2023.

    The infrastructure that suspends the carriageway from the bridge’s steel arch runs under the bridge deck. The carriageway is suspended by 36 steel hangers which are connected to the bridge deck by lateral beams. These beams run under the bridge deck to create bays with a longitudinal intermediate beam on top.

    Beneath the bridge deck, steel repair works to the lateral and longitudinal beams will be completed and the existing paint system will be removed before re-painting can get underway.

  • Site compounds and welfare facilities will be set up on the Quayside and in surrounding areas for operatives. Where required, traffic restrictions will be in place on the Quayside to allow operatives to install the main scaffold and protection deck.

    Work on the bridge towers will be completed from the Quayside, with the tower doors set to be repaired and window and glazing panels replaced.

  • In August 2018, the bridge was Grade II* listed by Historic England for architectural and historical interest. The rating means that the bridge is listed as a structure of special interest and warrants every effort to preserve it. To adhere to the bridge’s listed status conditions, the construction work focuses on repairing the structure’s components, instead of replacing with new components.

Considering the kittiwakes

All aspects of the programme are being developed in consultation with wildlife groups to minimise the works around the towers on the bridge and other nesting sites during the six-month kittiwake breeding season. Nesting provision will be maintained throughout the works to minimise disruption to this protected species.

Nesting ledges, dubbed ‘kittiwake' hotels’, have been installed on the roof of each Gateshead tower to provide alternative nesting provision while the scaffold is erected on the Gateshead side of the bridge.

Managing traffic, pedestrians and cyclists

In order to carry the work out safely and to protect the workforce and the public, the Tyne Bridge is reduced to one lane in each direction for a minimum of two years.

As the Tyne Bridge is an important transport route, this will have a significant impact on the travelling public, who are strongly advised to use public transport where possible.

Pedestrian and cycling access will be maintained throughout the restoration works.

Keep up to date with our Travel Advice to help you plan your journey.

Newcastle City Council & Gateshead Council

The Tyne Bridge is jointly owned by Newcastle City Council and Gateshead Council​

Newcastle City Council is the lead authority for the major restoration works of the Tyne Bridge​.

The costs of fully refurbishing a structure of this scale and importance is way outside the scope of normal council budgets and relies on government funding. We do carry out minor maintenance of the bridge every year, but there isn’t enough money in council budgets to carry out significant works which would cost in the region of £32 million.

As the last restoration of the bridge was in 2001, and the paint system is designed to last 18-20 years, the work is overdue and urgently required. We applied to the Department for Transport’s Major Road Network fund in 2019, which was confirmed in Summer 2022.

As part of the £41.4 million fund, government will provide £35.3 million, with the remaining monies contributed by Newcastle and Gateshead councils.

Esh Construction

North of England contractor, Esh Construction, will deliver the Tyne Bridge restoration programme.

Esh Construction is the main trading arm of Esh Group, a privately-owned contractor that is headquartered in County Durham. The firm provides contracting services in civil engineering, affordable housing, refurbishment, retrofit and commercial build for a variety of public and private sector clients.

One of the founding companies of Esh dates back to 1970 where the business originated in the former County Durham colliery village of Esh Winning. Esh Construction has grown from humble beginnings and is committed to delivering more than just a construction project through its award-winning social value initiatives. Visit Esh Group to find out more.