People advised to plan ahead of 10-day Tyne Bridge full closure

With the Tyne Bridge full 10-day closure set to get underway this Friday (23 October), people are being urged to plan ahead, allow more time for their journey and consider using public transport where possible.

This closure will see the Tyne Bridge fully closed to pedestrians, cyclists and vehicles from 11pm Friday 23 October and reopen at 5am on Monday 2 November.

The full closure is required to allow specialist teams to work round the clock building extensive scaffolding, called a protection deck, above the carriageway.  This will form a tunnel through which vehicles and pedestrians can travel safely while work moves on above onto the main arch in early 2027, the centrepiece of the restoration.

To reduce the impact on the traveling public, the closure has been planned for the half-term school holidays when traffic is lighter. Around 24,000 vehicles use the bridge daily through the current roadworks which has seen the Tyne Bridge reduced to two lanes since 2024.

During the closure, heavy congestion is expected. Signed diversion routes will be in place, but roads across Newcastle, Gateshead and the wider Tyneside network are expected to be significantly busier than usual. VMS signage has been placed on the strategic road network advising people of the closure so they can avoid the Tyne Bridge and use alternative routes.

The public are strongly advised to use public transport where possible when travelling to and from the city centre.

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.

Pedestrians and cyclists will also need to use alternative river crossings during the closure, such as the Gateshead Millenium Bridge, Swing Bridge and High Level Bridge.

Buses will also be impacted during the closures, but the councils have worked closely with operators on diversion routes. Main bus operators affected are Stagecoach and Go North East, with only one Arriva service impacted and passengers are advised to check with your operator for how your service may be affected.

Metro is a great travel option for people during the Tyne Bridge closure. Services will be operating as usual between Newcastle city centre stations and Gateshead, and Metro services will be operating a normal weekday service between Airport and South Hylton (Green Line) and between Monkseaton and South Shields (Yellow Line).

Due to planned improvement works buses will replace trains between St James and Monkseaton for nine days, Saturday 24 October to Sunday 1 November.

People should also consider Park and Ride sites, which can reduce congestion and help people get into the centres of Newcastle and Gateshead quicker.  Those heading from the south have the option to use the park and ride site at Heworth before getting on a Metro, or at the MetroCentre, where there is a choice of local train and bus services into Newcastle.

People traveling from the north can use a number of park and ride sites at various Metro stations, including Regent Centre, Kingston Park and Four Lane Ends.

Cllr Colin Ferguson, Leader of Newcastle City Council said: “With the iconic structure reaching its 98th birthday earlier this month, we can see the remarkable progress that has been made, and building this new scaffolding now means we can look forward to the centrepiece of the restoration, when work moves onto the main arch in 2027. We all want to see the bridge fully restored to its former glory in time for its centenary which is why we need the closure in place this half-term, getting this structure built before the bad weather sets in, when traffic is lighter and well ahead of impacting on the busy festive period for our local economy.

“But to reach this important stage, we do now need to fully close the bridge for ten days for the safety of the public and the workforce. We are asking people to plan their journey, allow extra time for travel and use public transport where possible as we continue to restore an icon to its former glory.”

The protection deck will allow specialist teams to safely access the main arch, in preparation for restoration work starting in 2027, marking a major milestone in the project. With the protection deck in place, works can continue safely above traffic, pedestrians and cyclists so the bridge can remain open during this major phase of the restoration. This means teams can carry out the extensive programme of grit blasting, steelwork repairs and application of the specialist three-coat protective paint system, finished in the bridge’s distinctive Hollybush Green.

The full closure allows for up to 70% of the deck to be completed, with the remaining work taking place over a series of standard weekday overnight closures to vehicles lasting up to four weeks in November. This part of the project is weather dependent, and the councils are committed to completing the work as quicky as possible.

The overnight closures will be delayed until 11pm to accommodate travelling football fans, or large events such as the Newcastle Christmas Light Switch on. The normal diversions will be in place.

Work over the last two years has already transformed substantial sections of the bridge, including the under arches adjacent to the Newcastle and Gateshead towers, the underside of the main river span, hangers, parapets and curved screen plates.

Esh Construction is carrying out the restoration on behalf of Newcastle City Council and Gateshead Council.

The multi-million-pound programme remains on schedule to be complete ahead of the Bridge’s centenary in October 2028.

The Tyne Bridge multi-million-pound restoration is funded by the UK Government, as well as monies from the North East Strategic Mayoral Authority, Newcastle City Council and Gateshead Council.

Full travel advice is available at www.tynebridge.org