Services on the Tyne and Wear Metro between St James and Tynemouth starting running again as planned on Saturday 30th July after a two week closure. The closure had been necessary to allow Tanners Bank Bridge to be replaced amongst other works.
The historic bridge had required extensive maintenance in recent years and its replacement will allow this maintenance to be reduced whilst still allowing reliable and safe services to be run in this area of North Shields. Its replacement has also enabled the height under it to be raised allowing better access to North Shields Fish Quay.
Along with the replacement of the bridge the opportunity was taken to undertake overhead line renewals on Byker Viaduct and vegetation maintenance along the full length of the line.