Next major milestone for Tyne Bridge as work moves to Newcastle side

The restoration of the Tyne Bridge will reach another major milestone next month when work to erect scaffolding on the Newcastle Quayside gets under way.

The scaffolding will be similar to that on the Gateshead side of the bridge and its construction is expected to take up to five months, with members of the public advised to expect some disruption during this time.

The work will begin on Monday 5 August and will require several temporary traffic management arrangements to be introduced on the Quayside.

This will include a one-way restriction heading northbound on Lombard Street, which will remain in place until spring 2026, and temporary traffic lights on the Quayside at the junction with Sandhills to Kings Street, which will be in place until early September 2024.

Some temporary lane closures on the Quayside beneath the bridge will also be required at certain points to enable the installation of the scaffolding and protection deck above the road and footway.

There will also be a series of overnight road closures between Sandhill and Broadchare on the Quayside between 8pm and 6am from 9 until 20 September, with these closures due to end at 6am on Saturday 21 September.

The Quayside Market will continue to operate on Sundays during this time, although some stalls may need to be relocated, which has been agreed with the markets team at the city council.

The Quayside should be fully open from 21 September, with pedestrians and traffic allowed in both directions via tunnels underneath the scaffolding.

The scaffolding will allow access to the steelwork and underside of the bridge deck where Esh Construction will carry out the sizable task of cleaning, grit blasting, repairing and repainting as part of the major restoration of the iconic North East landmark.

This work is already well underway and progressing well on the Gateshead side, where scaffolding has been in place around the tower underneath the bridge since late 2023.

Cllr Marion Williams, Cabinet Member for a Sustainable City at Newcastle City Council, said: “I’m pleased to see the progress that is being made on this hugely important restoration programme.

“The scaffolding going up around the Newcastle tower will be a significant milestone and will allow work to begin on this side of the river.

“I know that everyone is keen to see the bridge restored to its former glory and I would like to thank them for their patience as our teams carry out this vital work.

“Although some disruption to people’s journeys will be unavoidable we are doing everything we can to keep this to a minimum.”

Councillor John McElroy, Cabinet Member for Environment and Transport at Gateshead Council, said: “Thank you to everyone who has already played a part in minimising travel disruption since the much-needed restoration work began.

“Continuing to use public transport, travelling outside of peak hours and taking alternative routes will help ease congestion as we reach this next milestone, which marks an important step in the journey towards revitalising our iconic bridge."

The scaffolding is being built outside of the kittiwake breeding season and will incorporate ledges – dubbed kittiwake hotels – to ensure this protected species have continued access to important nesting sites when they return to the Tyne next year.

As on the Gateshead side, the scaffolding around the Newcastle tower will be fully sheeted to provide safe working areas and to protect the public while the work takes place.

Esh Construction is carrying out the work on behalf of Newcastle and Gateshead Councils.

As part of the current programme of works, temporary lane restrictions are in place on the bridge itself and these are expected to be in place for a minimum of two years, with further temporary lane closures and overnight closures scheduled for the remaining two years of restoration works.

A number of improvements to public transport, walking and cycling routes have been put in place to encourage people to use these forms of travel to help ease traffic congestion.

People travelling across the region are advised to avoid travel through the centre of Newcastle and Gateshead and stay on the major trunk roads and use other cross river crossings such as the A1, A19, Tyne Tunnel and Scotswood Bridge.

The four-year programme is expected to be complete in summer 2028, ahead of the bridge’s centenary in October 2028.