One year since the start of the Tyne Bridge Restoration Project

National World - LocalTV

It’s one year since work began on Newcastle’s iconic Tyne Bridge. While great progress has been made, there has been worries that the government will not provide the final £6.2 million  that was promised by the previous government.

Transcript

00:00Work on the Tyne Bridge's extensive restoration began in April 2024 with engineers uncovering

00:07far more extensive damage than initially anticipated.

00:10Over the past year, contractors have undertaken hundreds of repairs including the repainting

00:14of the bridge's distinctive green colour, corrosion fixes and vital structural works

00:18on steel, concrete, stone and masonry.

00:21Already the first sections of the bridge have been fully restored, offering a glimpse of

00:25the finished product.

00:26The restoration project, which has already cost over £35m, is expected to take four

00:31years to complete, with major repairs continuing on the bridge's eastern and western towers.

00:37As work progresses, engineers are uncovering more challenges, including the need for additional

00:41repairs to the structure, which will require the final £6.2m.

00:47Newcastle City Council's Transport Chief Pamela Holmes confirmed that the Department

00:51for Transport had provided no indication on when or if the promised funds would arrive.

00:56This has left the future of the project hanging in the balance.

00:59While initial funding was secured to cover basic restoration work, the extra funds would

01:04enable the completion of essential repairs that are integral to the bridge's structural

01:08integrity.

01:10The money in question was originally pledged by the Conservative government under Ishii

01:14Tsunak as part of the broader network NOR funding, following the cancellation of the

01:19northern leg of the HS2 high-speed rail project in 2023, however the funding has since been

01:25placed under review following the Labour Party's assumption of power.

01:30Labour ministers have yet to provide any clarity on whether they will fulfil the promised funds.

01:35The situation has led to mounting frustration among local leaders, who have united in lobbying

01:39for the release of the funds.

01:41The North East Mayor, local MPs, council leaders and business figures have all pressed the

01:45government to follow through with its funding commitment.

01:49Gateshead Council leader Martin Gannon voiced concerns about the impact that failing to

01:54deliver the promised £6 million would have on taxpayers.

01:58It would be completely and totally unacceptable, given what has happened to local government

02:02over the last 15 years, with our funding cut by 60%.

02:06If we do not get that £6 million, he said, the work will get completed but it will be

02:11an additional burden on Gateshead and Newcastle that will have an impact on public services

02:16and on council taxpayers.

02:19But what do some of our locals think?

02:20Would the Labour government provide the funds to finish off the project?

02:24I've been underneath it, yes, I haven't been over it since it started really, I've been

02:29over the other side, the Gateshead side, yeah.

02:32Well because they're short of funds I think maybe it isn't likely, but I do think they

02:37should because I think it is a very important, you know, icon of the region really.

02:43I think it needs to be done, doesn't it really, because I think the Gateshead bridge is short

02:49is that we need to keep restoration properly and do it right because otherwise it's going

02:53to crumble, isn't it, and because it's used a lot it does need to be done.

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