00:01The Tyne Bridge will close completely for 10 days during the October half term, affecting
00:05everyone travelling between Newcastle and Gateshead. The closure begins at 11 o'clock
00:09on Friday, October 23rd and is due to end at 5 o'clock on Monday, November 2nd. No vehicles,
00:15pedestrians or cyclists will be allowed across during that period. Newcastle City Council says
00:19the closure will allow specialist teams to erect scaffolding around the bridge's main steel arch.
00:24That preparation is needed before major repair and repainting work begins on the arch in early
00:282027. The council says scheduling the work during half term should help reduce disruption,
00:34although surrounding routes across Newcastle, Gateshead and the wider region are expected
00:37to be significantly busier than usual. Drivers are being advised to avoid central Tyneside where
00:43possible and consider alternative crossings including the A1, the Tyne Tunnel and Scottsworth
00:48Bridge. Public transport is also being recommended where practical. More than 2,000 repairs have
00:53already been carried out according to the project information supplied. The aims to complete the
00:57restoration ahead of the bridge's centenary celebrations in October 2028. There will be
01:02further overnight closures during November while scaffolding work continues. These are planned
01:07from Monday to Friday between 8 o'clock in the evening and 6 o'clock in the morning across four
01:11weeks, although it's not yet clear whether every planned closure will be needed. Unlike those
01:16overnight closures, the 10-day shutdown will also prevent people walking or cycling across the bridge.
01:21A separate metro closure is planned between Monk Seton and St James' during the half-term period,
01:26adding another consideration for journeys across the region.
