Repairs needed to bridge double to more than 2,000

THE number of repairs needed to restore the Tyne Bridge to its former glory has more than doubled, engineers have discovered.

- DANIEL HOLLAND

Teams working to fully refurbish the North East landmark in time for its 100th anniversary in 2028 say that they have encountered a “significantly increased” number of problems on the Grade II*-listed crossing.

When the restoration work began in 2024, it was estimated that around 1,000 separate repairs would be required - including to steelwork, concrete, masonry, waterproofing, and drainage improvements, as well as a full repaint.

But, 20 months into the project, that predicted total has jumped to more than 2,000 after the bridge was found to be in a more dilapidated condition than was previously realised.

Newcastle City Council said that the scale of the issues “could not be detected” before contractors Esh began their work.

However, officials said they were now “confident that the majority of repairs have been identified” and that their costs will be covered by funding already secured - which was bolstered by confirmation of a promised extra £6.3m earlier this year.