Tyne Bridge repair costs rise 'significantly'

Repair of the Tyne Bridge could take up to four years

The cost of restoring the Tyne Bridge has risen "significantly" because of inflation, a council report says.

Council bosses previously said the crossing was in an even worse state of disrepair than initially feared and could take up to four years to sort.

The government has approved funding to repair the bridge but Newcastle and Gateshead Councils believe that the amount on offer is not enough.

They may have to dip into money earmarked for the Central Motorway.

The government approved a £41.4m fund to be split on the bridge and motorway, but that may need to be "reprofiled" according to the report which the councils will discuss on Monday.

The report said: "Since the original funding bid was submitted there has been a significant increase in inflation costs in the construction industry.

"This has resulted in the estimated costs for the proposed works significantly increasing."

The Tyne Bridge is both a vital crossing and much-loved landmark

The report stated that the Department for Transport had ruled out any further funding, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

A detailed inspection of the bridge has confirmed a raft of problems on the Grade II* listed structure including peeling paintwork, corroding steel, cracked concrete, leaking drains and multiple surface damage.

Engineers estimate that it will now take between 36 and 42 months to complete the massive refurbishment job, the first major maintenance on the bridge between Gateshead and Newcastle for more than two decades.

The start date has also been pushed back to autumn 2023.

The extended timeframe has also been partly blamed on kittiwakes on the bridge, with engineers having to work around the birds' nesting season.

A spokesperson for Newcastle and Gateshead councils said they were "committed to ensuring that the Tyne Bridge works are completed in full" and would prioritise the landmark over the Central Motorway.