A new bridge built as part of a massive project to widen a section of the A1 has been found to contain defects.
The Allerdene Bridge, constructed under National Highways’ major Birtley to Coal House A1 upgrade scheme, is one of 12 across the country where welding problems have been identified by steelwork contractor Severfield. The 3,400 tonne road bridge, which stretches across a section of the East Coast Main Line in Gateshead, was opened to traffic in September 2023.
Both National Highways and the North Yorkshire-based steel firm say the deficiencies at the motorway bridge, which has replaced the old Allerdene Bridge over the railway line, did not pose an immediate safety risk. However, traffic restrictions that were lifted elsewhere on that stretch of the A1 before Christmas have remained in force around the bridge because of the issue.
National Highways confirmed it was first made aware of a potential problem with the welding quality of steel beams on the Allerdene Bridge by Severfield last August and that the defects could reduce the structure’s 120-year lifespan if left unchecked. The Government-owned body said that it has restrictions on vehicles with abnormal loads using the bridge and that the new, extra lane of traffic built in each direction will remain closed over the bridge, for approximately one mile, until the welding problem is resolved.
National Highways could not provide an estimated completion date for the repairs, but said the bridge would open to full capacity “as soon as it is safe to do so”. A spokesperson added: “We are committed to resolving this issue promptly and effectively and we have a proven track record in maintaining the nation’s road network.
“This includes monitoring and maintaining ageing infrastructure, and we are applying our extensive expertise to this situation. Our specialists are working at pace with project designers to develop tailored solutions to address the specific needs of the bridge.”
As reported by New Civil Engineer in November, Severfield has reported non-compliant weld specification requirements on a dozen bridges across National Highways and HS2 schemes, which it estimates will cost more than £20 million to fix.
Severfield’s most recent accounts, published on New Year’s Eve, state that it had so far incurred £9.8 million of costs relating to testing and remedial works on the welding defects and was projecting a further liability of £10.6 million, though that only relates to eight of the affected bridges. It said it was not able to provide an estimate of the costs for the four remaining schemes where “either the results of the ongoing testing are not yet known or a rectification solution has not yet been agreed with the client”.
A spokesperson for Severfield said: “A comprehensive review is currently being undertaken by the Group, in conjunction with its affected clients, relevant industry authorities and insurers to fully understand the extent of the actions required to resolve the issue, which has not affected the safety of any operational bridges. Notwithstanding this, we are continuing our work on ongoing road and rail bridges for a variety of clients, which we are confident will meet the required specification.”
Birtley resident Craig Robson next to the A1 near his home.
Local resident Craig Robson told the Local Democracy Reporting Service that the retention of the two-lane traffic restrictions over the bridge was creating a bottleneck that causes congestion to back up towards his home in Birtley. The 64-year-old retired prison officer, who has lived at his Crathie home next to the A1 for 27 years, added that residents were in the dark as to when the issues would be resolved.
He said: “It’s the same as it was before [during the earlier phase of the roadworks] with the traffic because you have four lanes of traffic all going back down to two again. And the traffic has nothing to do with the Gateshead Flyover being closed, we are too far from that.
“They told us that everything was supposed to be finished by last November, then it was December. But it is still not done and we have no idea when it will be finished.”
The Allerdene bridge is far from the only piece of critical North East infrastructure that is providing cause for concern. The 1960s-built Gateshead Flyover has been shut since mid-December, amid concerns that it could collapse because of structural problems uncovered by engineers.
Councillors were also warned before Christmas that work was needed to address crumbling concrete on the Redheugh Bridge. The Tyne Bridge is currently undergoing its first major maintenance in more than two decades and is in need of more than 1,000 separate repairs, while the Swing Bridge has been unable to swing open for the last five years.
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