Tyne Bridge closures as major milestone approaches
The multi-million-pound Tyne Bridge restoration programme is on track to reach the most significant and visually striking part of the restoration programme.
As work nears completion on the bridge’s east side parapets, works will soon progress to the iconic structure’s main steel arch in early 2027, marking a major milestone in the restoration.
Tyne Bridge full closure
Ahead of reaching this major stage, the Tyne Bridge will need to be closed completely during the October half term holiday, to allow specialist teams to work round the clock building extensive scaffolding above the carriageway. This will allow the bridge to remain open when work on the arch gets under way from next year.
This important phase will see the Tyne Bridge closed from 11pm on Friday 23 October until 5am on Monday 2 of November.
This full 10-day closure will allow engineers safe and uninterrupted access to the bridge, saving time and reducing the amount of disruption to the travelling public over the longer term.
While the bridge is closed, traffic, cyclists and pedestrians will be diverted onto other routes and everyone is being urged to plan their travel in advance and be prepared for longer journey times.
To minimise disruption to the travelling public, the full closure has been carefully planned to take place during the October half-term holidays, when traffic is lighter.
The closure period is needed for the safety of the workforce and the public as this phase of scaffolding construction takes place directly above the full width of the carriageway and footpaths and cannot be carried out safely while members of the public are using the bridge.
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.
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.
This part of the project is weather dependent, and the councils are committed to completing the work as quicky as possible. It is hoped the whole four weeks will not be required, and these works will be complete well ahead of the festive period.
Building the protection deck
During the planned closures, our team of advanced scaffolders will work around the clock to install the protection deck above the Tyne Bridge carriageway. Independent scaffold legs will be installed along the east and west footpaths, including new scaffold arrangement on the east side to mirror the existing arrangement on the west.
Crews will install twin aluminium beams spanning between the footpaths to form the main structure of the protection deck. Once the scaffold framework is in place, the deck will be completed with scaffold boards and temporary carriageway lighting, creating a safe working platform and providing protection for the works above and the public below.
Cllr Colin Ferguson, Leader of Newcastle City Council, said: “This is a major milestone in the Tyne Bridge’s restoration programme, as we preserve this Grade II* listed structure for future generations.
“Over the last two years, significant progress and a major transformation have taken place on the lower sections of the bridge, and now the work progresses to the main bridge arch - the centrepiece of the restoration programme and its most visually prominent phase.
“But to get to this crucial stage, a 10-day closure of the Tyne Bridge is necessary. We fully recognise that this will be disruptive, which is why we have carefully planned this with our contractor to ensure this complex stage is programmed during the half-term break, with fewer cars on the road.
“Newcastle and Gateshead are very much open for business during this period, and we are urging people to plan ahead, allow more time for the journey and use public transport where possible as we continue to restore an icon to its former glory.”
Cllr Nick Allan, Leader of Gateshead Council, said: “It’s really important the restoration work is completed efficiently, as we all value the Tyne Bridge so highly.
“We urge people across Tyneside to be patient when this 10-day closure is in place, as we all have the same objective, to see the restoration completed in 2028.”
Stephen McClean, Construction Manager at Esh Construction, said: “Health and safety is at the heart of everything we do on the Tyne Bridge restoration programme. The construction of the protection deck requires extensive work above the carriageway, which cannot be undertaken safely while the bridge remains open to vehicles, pedestrians and cyclists.
“Progressing these works during one planned closure gives our teams safe, unrestricted access to carry out this critical phase efficiently, while minimising the overall period of disruption. Although we recognise the impact this will have on those who regularly use the bridge, this approach is essential to maintaining the highest safety standards and keeping the programme on track.”
Planning ahead
To prepare for the full closure, a series of overnight closures will be in place from 12 October to 22 October – details outlined below.
During the full closure from 23 October until 2 November, there will be no access to vehicles, pedestrians or cyclists.
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.
People are being urged to plan their journeys in advance, allow additional travelling time and use public transport wherever possible.
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.
Once the major part of the protection deck has been constructed, the bridge will reopen at 5am on Monday 2 November.
Following reopening, the existing traffic management arrangements will be reinstated and there will be a further series of overnight closures throughout November. These will be weekday five-night closures from Monday – Fridays, from 8pm until 6am. People walking and cycling will be able to use the bridge during the weekday closures.
Vehicle restrictions
The installation of the protection deck is an essential part of the works and will enable the construction programme to progress safely and efficiently.
To accommodate these works and ensure the safety of both the workforce and road users, a 4.95m (16ft 3in) vehicle height restriction will be introduced on the Tyne Bridge.
The restriction will apply to all vehicles over this height – mainly larger European HGVs. Double decker buses will not be affected. Appropriate advance signage and traffic management measures will be implemented to ensure road users are made aware of the restriction and can plan their journeys accordingly.
The protection deck will allow specialist teams to safely access the main arch in 2027 to 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.
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.
Key dates for closures include:
City Road will be closed from 12 to 14 October
From 15-16 October, the central motorway (southbound) will be closed
The Tyne Bridge will be closed for three nights from 15 – 17 October from 8pm to 6am
Gateshead High Street will be closed from 20 to 22 October
Overnight closures will take place on the Tyne Bridge during weeknights from 2 November to 1 December – 8pm to 6am. There will be three late starts during this period on 2 November, starting at 11:30pm, and 5 and 27 November, starting at 10pm.