Tyne Bridge in the UK to Close for 10 Days to Install Construction Protection Platform for Main Steel Arch

en.Wedoany.com Reported - On October 8, Newcastle City Council in the UK announced the construction arrangements for the next phase of the Tyne Bridge restoration project, planning to fully close the bridge from 23:00 on October 23 to 05:00 on November 2 to install temporary scaffolding and a construction protection platform covering above the carriageway. During the bridge closure, it is expected that up to 70% of the platform erection work will be completed, creating construction conditions for the launch in early 2027 of grit blasting and rust removal, steel component repair, and three-layer protective coating application on the main steel arch. The project is being carried out by Esh Construction and is scheduled for completion by October 2028, before the bridge's centenary.

The contractor will install independent scaffolding support structures along the footpaths on the east and west sides of the bridge, and form the main load-bearing frame of the platform through double rows of aluminum beams spanning between the footpaths. Scaffold boards, temporary carriageway lighting, and protective facilities will then be installed to separate the main steel arch repair work from the vehicle and pedestrian passage space below. The scaffolding on the east side will be implemented with reference to the previously completed structural layout on the west side.

After the main platform erection is completed, the bridge is planned to reopen to traffic at 05:00 on November 2, and the remaining installation work will continue during nighttime closures on weekdays in November, potentially lasting up to 4 weeks. Nighttime motor vehicle closure hours are usually from 20:00 to 06:00 the following day, while pedestrians and cyclists can still pass. To accommodate the vehicle clearance space beneath the protection platform, a 4.95-meter vehicle height restriction will be implemented on the bridge, while double-decker buses will not be affected by this restriction.

The main steel arch restoration is planned to use grit blasting cleaning, repair of damaged steel components, and a three-layer anti-corrosion coating process. The final topcoat will use Hollybush green, British Standard BS 4800 reference 14C39. The bridge is a Grade II* listed building in the UK, and the coating color and restoration scheme must comply with historic building conservation requirements.

The Tyne Bridge restoration project entered the main on-site construction phase in April 2024. Previously, repairs were completed to the lower arch structures near the towers on both the Newcastle and Gateshead sides, the underside of the river span deck, and the west-side parapets and curved steel plates. As of April 2026, the construction team had completed a total of 1,546 structural repairs, replaced 3,926 rivets, and used more than 7,200 liters of paint. Repair and recoating work on the east-side parapets and curved steel plates subsequently continued.

Esh Construction is responsible for the overall restoration construction, with a contract value of approximately £32 million. The scope of work also includes concrete repair, stone and masonry restoration, bridge deck waterproofing and resurfacing, drainage improvements, and replacement of bridge expansion joints. The project adopts a phased scaffolding erection construction method, and the contractor will combine temporary support with steel structure repair work.

Project funding is provided by the UK government, the North East England Strategic Mayoral Authority, and the councils of Newcastle and Gateshead. In June 2025, Newcastle City Council confirmed that the remaining £6.3 million in funding for the restoration project had been secured. According to the latest construction plan, main steel arch restoration will begin in early 2027, and the overall project completion target remains before October 2028.