Maintaining the Tyne Bridge

The Tyne Bridge was last fully painted in 2000, with minor painting works carried out in 2010/11. The paint system is designed to last approximately 18 to 20 years between major maintenance and this work is overdue.

A bridge of this stature and importance requires regular safety checks, repairs, preservation and upkeep.

There is an ongoing maintenance programme which is delivered in partnership between Newcastle City Council and Gateshead Council.

The councils and contractor Esh Construction have committed to develop the maintenance programme in consultation with wildlife groups to ensure that the main works to the towers on the bridge are done outside of the kittiwake breeding season, with nesting provision maintained throughout the works to minimise disruption to this protected species.

The proposed works will be subject to Listed Building Consent, the maintenance works required to ensure the bridge maintains its expected life span include:

• Erection of temporary scaffold to allow access;
• Surface preparation and painting of all the bridge steelwork including the main arch, main girders and secondary deck members, parapets, lighting columns, internal beams and columns;
• Repairs to the existing steelwork prior to painting;
• Repair the road deck concrete, waterproofing and surfacing;
• Repair existing and install new drainage;
• Concrete repairs within the north and south abutment towers;
• Masonry repairs to the south east and south west retaining walls;
• Repair/Replacement of doors and windows of the abutment towers;
• Repair the lifts in the abutment towers
• Resetting stonework parapet;
• Remove redundant services; and
• Netting the bridge/towers to prevent pigeons entering and nesting.

The paint colour likely to used will be British Standard BS14C39 or ‘Greenwood’, which is a colour as close to the original as possible (British Standard BS4800).

The above maintenance work could take three to four years to complete.