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Millennium Bridge tilting daily this summer

From Saturday, locals and tourists can see the Gateshead Millennium Bridge tilt each day around noon. Gateshead Council will start a trial series of 100 daily tilts of the Millennium Bridge to help showcase the Tyneside engineering marvel to the public.

The bridge was designed to tilt so that passing ships could move up the Tyne, but the council has arranged for it to happen regularly so that more people can witness the sight. The tilting time has been synchronised where possible with existing regular shipping to minimise disruption. At the same time it should give people the best possible chance of seeing the bridge tilt.

The bridge weighs over 800 tons and contains enough steel to build 64 double-decker buses, yet it can tilt to allow large ships to pass in just four and a half minutes.

Cllr Linda Green, cabinet member for culture at Gateshead Council, said: “The Gateshead Millennium Bridge is one of the biggest attractions in the North of England and we know that many people never get a chance to see it tilt. By introducing this regular tilt time we think it gives everyone a chance to see it move.

“We want this to become a real landmark event like the Edinburgh gun in Scotland.”

Andrew Dixon, chief executive at NewcastleGateshead Initiative, said: “It is an image that we often use to promote the destination and a real selling point. In addition we regularly host national and international media and are delighted that we’ll be able to guarantee these influential visitors a glimpse of the Gateshead Millennium Bridge in action.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Ruth Mitchell .