The Tyne Bridge will be completely closed for 10 days during the October half-term holiday to allow new scaffolding to be constructed, ahead of restoration work moving up to its iconic arch.
Council bosses have announced that the bridge will be closed throughout the half-term break to let engineers prepare for a critical phase of refurbishment. From early 2027, the restoration of the grade II* listed structure will move onto its famous arch. Major new scaffolding must be erected above the main carriageway, creating a tunnel through which traffic can safely pass while the arch is repaired and repainted.
Closure details and schedule
The bridge will close to all vehicles, pedestrians, and cyclists from 11pm on Friday, October 23 until 5am on Monday, November 2. During this time, contractors will work around the clock on the scaffolding construction. A series of weekday overnight closures to complete the work have also been pencilled in over four weeks in November, though it is not known at this stage whether all of those will be required.
The £39 million Tyne Bridge refurbishment project remains on schedule to be completed ahead of its planned 100th anniversary celebrations in October 2028.
Council and contractor statements
Newcastle City Council leader Colin Ferguson said: “Over the last two years, significant progress and a major transformation have taken place on the lower sections of the bridge, and now the work progresses to the main bridge arch - the centrepiece of the restoration programme and its most visually prominent phase.
“But to get to this crucial stage, a 10-day closure of the Tyne Bridge is necessary. We fully recognise that this will be disruptive, which is why we have carefully planned this with our contractor to ensure this complex stage is programmed during the half-term break, with fewer cars on the road.
“Newcastle and Gateshead are very much open for business during this period, and we are urging people to plan ahead, allow more time for the journey and use public transport where possible as we continue to restore an icon to its former glory.”
Traffic warnings and diversions
Council officials have warned that surrounding routes in Newcastle, Gateshead, and the wider region will be “significantly busier than usual” during the 10-day closure. Motorists are being told to avoid central Tyneside and instead use the A1, Tyne Tunnel and Scotswood Bridge to cross the Tyne.
Stephen McClean, of restoration contractors Esh Construction, said: “Health and safety is at the heart of everything we do on the Tyne Bridge restoration programme. The construction of the protection deck requires extensive work above the carriageway, which cannot be undertaken safely while the bridge remains open to vehicles, pedestrians and cyclists.
“Progressing these works during one planned closure gives our teams safe, unrestricted access to carry out this critical phase efficiently, while minimising the overall period of disruption. Although we recognise the impact this will have on those who regularly use the bridge, this approach is essential to maintaining the highest safety standards and keeping the programme on track.”
Nick Allan, leader of Gateshead Council, added: “It’s really important the restoration work is completed efficiently, as we all value the Tyne Bridge so highly. We urge people across Tyneside to be patient when this 10-day closure is in place, as we all have the same objective, to see the restoration completed in 2028.”
