Crumbling city bridge to close for repairs

A road bridge which was recently revealed to have crumbling concrete and drainage issues is to be closed for a day for maintenance.

Redheugh Bridge, which crosses the River Tyne between Gateshead and Newcastle, is to shut to traffic on Sunday 16 February.

Spalling - the deterioration of steel reinforced concrete - has been found on two of the bridge's piers, but Sunday's work is unrelated to this.

Drivers travelling on the A189 will be diverted to the Tyne Bridge, which is itself undergoing major long-term repair work, during the closure.

The Redheugh roadworks will begin at 06:00 GMT and are expected to end by 18:00.

Pedestrians will still be able to use the bridge where guardrails are to be replaced, road markings repainted and patch repairs carried out on the road's surface.

Gateshead Council said work has been scheduled to avoid Newcastle United home games and events at the Utilita Arena, but it has informed National Highways that traffic could worsen on the A1 on Sunday.

Public officials recently heard repairs to Redheugh Bridge could cost more than £1m.

Meanwhile, the Tyne Bridge has been reduced to one lane in either direction while repairs scheduled to take four years continue.

Elsewhere in Gateshead, the A167 flyover is awaiting demolition having been closed on safety grounds in December, while welding faults were found on the A1 Allerdene Bridge which only opened in September 2023.

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