Geordies ‘overjoyed’ at news that ‘tatty’ Tyne Bridge will be restored

Geordies have been sharing their delight at news that funding to rejuvenate the Tyne Bridge has been granted.

The iconic bridge that connects Newcastle and Gateshead over the River Tyne is rusting away and has become an eye-sore in recent years.

It is the focal point for commuters and train passengers, as well as being beamed across the world during events such as the Great North Run.

£41.4 million of funding has been awarded to fix the bridge.

The government will provide £35.3 million for the restoration project, with the remaining monies contributed by Newcastle and Gateshead councils.

In the days after the news broke, NewcastleWorld hit the city centre to get the thoughts of locals.

Here's what they had to say.

Philip

"It'll be great once it’s updated but I think it's going to take longer than two and a half years.

“People getting from Gateshead to Newcastle for work, it's going to be ridiculous.

“My friend works at Greggs at nighttime and it's going to take him another two or three hours trying to find another route."

Sylvia

"It's been there a lot of years.

“When you think of all the traffic and everything going across, there's more now than there was years ago.

“It'll probably be good, but some of the work they do now isn't as good as it used to be. These things have got to be done though, nothing you can really do about it."

Joe

"I'm over the moon. It looks tatty at the moment.

“It looks terrible and it's embarrassing going across.

“People coming to the North East and seeing that, it looks awful.

“All in favour of that, looking forward to getting it all finished and looking ship-shape again.

“I've heard people saying how tatty and bad it looks, when you come across on the train and look across you can tell it looks worse for wear.

“Doing that will be a big boost to getting the North East a better reputation."

Peter

"I feel overjoyed but the question I've got is why it's taken so long.

“I've driven across the Tyne Bridge many a time. It's the landmark of Newcastle. Back before the Western Bypass, that's when you knew you were home."

"It's about time! It's not been done in a long time. Very happy about it."