The final £6 million needed to complete the long-awaited restoration of the Tyne Bridge has finally been secured, putting to rest months of political pressure and uncertainty. The funding will ensure the iconic structure is fully refurbished in time for its centenary celebrations in 2028.
00:00The final £6 million needed to complete the long-awaited restoration of the Tyne Bridge has finally been secured, putting to rest months of political pressure and uncertainty.
00:11The cash will come from the £1.85 billion transport funding package that was announced by Chancellor Rachel Reeves as part of a major investment in the North's infrastructure.
00:21A portion of that commitment, allocated to the North-East Combined Authority, will be brought forward specifically to plug the Tyne Bridge's funding gap.
00:31The four-year restoration project began in early 2024 and is the first major overhaul of the Grade 2 listed bridge in more than two decades.
00:39While the Department for Transport initially committed £3.52 million, a favour £6.2 million was promised by former Prime Minister Rishi Sunak.
00:48This was then put under review following the general election.
00:53This led to concerns among Tyneside leaders that the project might be scaled back or delayed.
00:59Local and regional leaders, including North-East Mayor Kim McGuinness, campaigned heavily to ensure the funding was delivered.
01:06I raised the need for Tyne Bridge funding with the Chancellor directly, said McGuinness.
01:10We have now got that question sorted out.
01:13Newcastle City Council has already dipped into its own resources to ensure restoration work could begin on schedule.
01:20Council leader Karen Kilgawa welcomed the funding, calling it essential to restoring the bridge to its former glory.
01:27The restoration includes over 1,200 individual repairs from steelworks and stonemasonry to concrete and waterproofing.
01:34Engineers will also fully repaint the bridge, its signature green, following the removal of more than nine tonnes of dirt, rust and pageant robins from beneath the structure.
