PM says Tyne Bridge funding under review

Refurbishment of the bridge got under way last year

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has refused to offer an assurance that the Tyne Bridge's restoration will not fall victim to spending cuts.

Doubt continues to surround the final £6.2m of funding from the Department for Transport (DfT) promised by the previous government.

A four-year repair project on the Grade II* listed bridge began last April after the DfT agreed to hand over an initial £35.2m, with the then Conservative Prime Minister Rishi Sunak pledging a further payment.

Starmer laid the blame for the uncertainty at the door of his predecessor and said Labour needed to make "difficult decisions to stabilise the public finances".

The government has already scrapped one major North East transport project deemed too expensive, though the estimated £500m cost of dualling the A1 in Northumberland is vastly greater than the last piece of Tyne Bridge restoration cash.

'Black hole'

Speaking to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, Starmer described the Tyne Bridge as "an iconic part of the Newcastle and Gateshead skyline".

He added: "I'm glad to see it being restored. But when I came into government, we inherited a £22bn black hole from the Conservatives, including £2.9bn of unfunded transport commitments.

"That was unforgivable. It has led us to make difficult decisions to stabilise the public finances.

"Ministers in the Department for Transport are looking at infrastructure projects as a part of the Spending Review, and that includes the Tyne Bridge and other projects in the North East."

Newcastle and Gateshead councils have warned that without the £6.2m, the crossing may not be repaired to the quality expected.

In a letter sent to Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander last week, they warned there was an "urgent need" for the extra money and that the complex maintenance works would otherwise be "deeply constrained".

The restoration is intended be completed in time to celebrate the bridge's centenary in October 2028.