OTHER PROPOSED TYNE BRIDGES

Many failed suggestions for bridges have been made, especially between Newcastle and Gateshead. A position east of the present bridges seems to have been the popular location, and St Anthony's to Bill Quay where the Tyne was less wide and land values cheaper was the place of choice. Railway bridges to link the growing railway network across the Tyne were promoted but were not proceeded with, a town centre crossing being a more practical option. The High Level Bridge of 1849 solved the problem for several decades but near the end of the 19th century a further proposal from the North Eastern Railway (NER) for a rail bridge at St Anthony's was made and another link was proposed in 1918, linking lines at Heaton and Washington, with an additional road crossing with tram tracks also canvassed by local councils. The railway bridge would have eased congestion in central Newcastle and on the rail bridges there by building an avoiding line from the east coast main line near the Coast Road running via Walker to a bridge at St Anthony's and continuing to Pelaw joining the Leamside line (going south to Ferryhill and beyond) there. Land was purchased in 1923 and space for the route reserved, but the new London and North Eastern Railway which had by then superceded the NER decided not to proceed with the plans.

At the time the Central Motorway East in Newcastle was planned in the 1960s there was a proposal to build a bridge crossing just east of the Tyne Bridge where the Sage music centre Gateshead now stands, and which would have linked to the Gateshead flyover, but this idea was abandoned. Other road bridges at St Anthony's were proposed in 1925 and 1992, but were never proceeded with. While proposals for new rail bridges are extremely unlikely it is possible that further proposals for new road bridges will eventually surface, although not necesarily at Newcastle. The recently authorised Haydon Bridge by pass is to include a new viaduct crossing the river South Tyne.

A 2004 proposal to build a footbridge and cycleway linking Newburn and Blaydon instigated by the regional development agency One NorthEast has now been dropped. A long single span structure, This would have connected the large Newburn Riverside development (offices, general industry and warehousing) with the Blaydon shopping centre,bus and railway stations.

A more recent proposal of October 2006 by Newcastle City council, is to build a footbridge and cycleway linking the soon-to-be-renovated Newcastle suburb of Benwell to the Gateshead Metro Centre shopping complex. There could also be a link for buses.

Other Proposed Bridges

Railway bridges at St Anthony's, Newcastle - 1836, 1848, 1893, 1918.
Road bridge just east of the Tyne Bridge - 1960s.

Other Proposed Bridges

Road bridges at St Anthony's, Newcastle - 1920, 1925, 1992.

Footbridge - Newburn to Blaydon. 2004.

15:23 24/01/2011

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