Berwick's Royal Border Bridge repairs extended into spring

Delays mean engineers will not finish their work this month as initially planned

Repairs to a landmark bridge will stretch into next spring, rail chiefs have announced.

Work on all 28 arches of the Royal Border Bridge, which spans the River Tweed at Berwick-upon-Tweed, was scheduled to be completed this month.

However, Network Rail said strikes and waits in getting listed building consent had caused delays.

The 170-year-old structure carries freight and passengers on the East Coast Main Line, which will stay open.

Made of more than 2.5 million bricks, the Grade I-listed bridge stands almost 40m (130ft) high and Network Rail said the full extent of the repairs required had been "hard to pinpoint from the ground".

Specialist engineers have been working on the crossing since the beginning of 2022 using a rope access system rather than erecting scaffolding spanning the length and height of the bridge.

Once completed, Network Rail estimates it will be another 30 years before any further major maintenance is needed.

The viaduct was designed by Robert Stephenson and up to 2,700 men were used to construct it.