Outstanding funding for the Tyne Bridge confirmed
5th June 2025
Today (5 June) marks a major milestone in the Tyne Bridge’s restoration.
The outstanding funding of £6.3 million has been confirmed by the North East Mayor, Kim McGuinness after months of lobbying by Council’s Cabinet members and officers.
Funding was signed off by the previous Government in 2023 for £35 million, but uncertainty remained over the outstanding millions which was pledged as part of Network North money in 2022. Since then, leaders in the region have campaigned vigorously for the outstanding vital funds, which are needed to ensure to restore the iconic structure to its former glory.
The Chancellor committed to provide £1.85 billion to the North East Combined Authority through a City Region Sustainable Transport Settlements (CRSTS) allocation covering 2027 to 2032, a chunk of which will be used to extend the Tyne and Wear Metro to Washington. It is understood that the funding needed for the Tyne Bridge works will be brought forward from that pot ahead of time, given the urgency of the works.
The Leader of Newcastle City Council, Cllr Karen Kilgour, has welcomed the funding and said she, her Deputy Leader, Cabinet, and council officers have “campaigned passionately” to ensure funding was granted.
Cllr Kilgour said: “This is fantastic news for our city and our region. The Tyne Bridge is the defining symbol of the North East and we have a Mayor and a government who recognise the importance of this iconic structure to the people of our region. As custodians of the Tyne Bridge, we have campaigned passionately to ensure this iconic structure is restored to its former glory and we very much welcome this funding news.”
Both Cllr Kilgour and Deputy Leader of Newcastle City Council, Cllr Alex Hay personally lobbied Government for the remaining Tyne Bridge funding. Cllr Hay reiterated the council had invested millions to ensure the restoration commenced when it did.
Cllr Hay added: “We have lobbied for years to secure this funding and stepped in with the council’s own money to make sure the restoration could start when it needed to. In recent months, we’ve kept up the pressure and made our case directly to senior Government ministers. We’ve written to the Transport Secretary, met directly with Chief Secretary to the Treasury, Darren Jones MP, and pushed for this funding alongside Mayor Kim McGuinness and our local MPs. This announcement is the result of a huge amount of hard work by everyone involved, and I’m delighted we can now get on with the job and complete the restoration to the highest standard.”
Councillor Martin Gannon, Leader of Gateshead Council, said: “We’re delighted to secure this vital funding from the North East Mayor for the Tyne Bridge restoration.
“We can see from the steelwork already repaired and painted, that this is going to be a fantastic job when completed, and it’s vitally important that we have the full budget available that we were promised by the previous government.
“The Tyne Bridge is a symbol of not just Tyneside but the whole of the North East so it’s vital we get it back to its iconic best.”
Kim McGuinness, North East Mayor, said: “I raised the need for Tyne Bridge funding with the Chancellor directly and I am very pleased we have got that question sorted out. The record £1.85bn funding for transport we announced for the region this week includes £6.3m that will allow Newcastle City Council to complete the restoration of our iconic Bridge, in time for its centenary in 2028.”
Initial restoration works to the Tyne Bridge got underway in September 2023, using funding from Newcastle City Council and Gateshead Council to ensure the work would be completed in time for the bridge’s centenary in 2028, with Esh Construction carrying out the works on behalf of the councils.
Over the last fourteen months, the restoration works are well underway and progressing well, and despite additional repairs being identified, the four-year programme remains on schedule to be completed in summer 2028, ahead of the bridge’s centenary.
The Tyne Bridge restoration is funded by the UK Government, as well as monies from the North East Combined Authority, Newcastle City Council and Gateshead Council.