Nexus has appointed engineering specialists Taziker to carry out a major bridge replacement project on the Tyne and Wear Metro this summer.
The Tanners Bank bridge, which is located on the Metro line between Tynemouth and North Shields, in North Tyneside, is to be removed to allow an entirely new bridge to be fitted.
Taziker, a Lancashire based firm which specialises in big infrastructure schemes, will carry out the work on behalf of Metro’s operator, Nexus, in July.
Nexus needs to replace Tanners Bank bridge due to its age. The current structure dates all the way back to the Victorian era.
Taziker will remove the old bridge and use a specialist lifting rig to install the new bridge during a major line closure on Metro.
The work will help to secure a key piece of Tyne and Wear Metro’s infrastructure for many years to come.
North Tyneside Council and Nexus are working in partnership to improve this key road into the Fish Quay as part of the council’s wider North Shields regeneration plan, as well as making sure the Metro can run smoothly for decades to come.
The project, funded through a £2.7m grant from the Department for Transport’s Highways Challenge Fund, £300,000 from the Metro Asset Renewal Programme and £103,000 from North Tyneside Council, will see clearance beneath the bridge raised to allow large HGVs and double decker buses to get to and from the fish quay.
Major Projects Director at Nexus, Cathy Massarella, said: “We are delighted to be working with Taziker on this major bridge renewal project in North Tyneside.
“Taziker have a fantastic track record in delivering big engineering schemes like this, and planning is already well underway ahead of the works taking place in July.
“The replacement of the bridge is a big engineering challenge, and when the work takes place it will only be the second time that we have completely removed a Metro bridge and replaced it in this way. The new bridge deck will be lifted into place using specialist heavy duty lifting equipment during a major line closure.
“This is a vital part of Metro’s infrastructure which needs to be replaced as it’s life expired. The current bridge was built in 1863 and has served Metro for the last 41 years – but this summer is the right time to replace it.
“The new structure will ensure that we can run trains in this area for many more generations to come, and the new one will allow greater clearance above the road that more buses are able to get down to North Shields Fish Quay.”
Managing Director – Infrastructure at Taziker, Neil Harrison, said: “With over 50 years’ experience in construction and engineering, Taziker is an experienced, multi-disciplined engineering specialist; ideally suited to deliver this challenging project. Our skilled people are already immersed in the planning stage, where a significant amount of innovation is being explored, and have started creating great collaborative relationships with Nexus, with whom we look to build a mutually rewarding experience for the benefit of the people and businesses of the North East.
“From design, to fabrication, through to installation, we’re looking forward to delivering this project to ensure that this important infrastructure asset is in a strong condition for the future.”
Cllr Carl Johnson, Deputy Mayor of North Tyneside, said: “I am delighted that yet another part of North Shields regeneration will soon be underway. This new bridge is a vital upgrade to the Metro system and raise the current space below by 1.5 meters, allowing better access for buses under the bridge leading to and from North Shields Fish Quay.
“The work is being carried out by Nexus and supports our North Shields and Fish Quay Masterplan, which aims to create a smaller, more vibrant, and connected town centre.”
