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Introduction
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Key Dates
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Travel Advice
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News & Updates
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Tyne Tunnels History
What is happening?
The Northbound Tyne Tunnel is set to be closed for a series of weekends for scheduled maintenance which will ensure the longevity of the tunnels for generations to come.
The maintenance will begin on the 7th June 2024 and end in Spring 2025.
To cause minimum disruption to users during its busiest times, both tunnels will remain open, as usual, from Monday to Friday.
On the weekends when maintenance is being carried out on the Northbound tunnel, drivers will cross the river using the Southbound tunnel which will act as bi-directional - a single lane carrying traffic north and a single lane going south.
Why is this happening?
The Northbound tunnel was constructed in the 1960’s and opened to the public in 1967.
TT2 Limited was appointed by the local authorities that own the infrastructure to manage the toll road in 2007 - during the construction of the second tunnel, and the refurbishment of the first. This management contract is now halfway through its 30-year term and as with all major infrastructure projects, significant periodic maintenance is required.
The schedule of programmed maintenance in the Northbound tunnel has been phased as a series of weekend closures. This is intended to minimise disruption to the traveling public and businesses at a time when there are other similar scale works being undertaken across the region. This agreed programme of works supports the readiness of the tunnels to be handed back to the local authorities in 2037.
Crossing the Tyne? Plan your time.
A series of weekends between the 7th June 2024 and end in Spring 2025.
Closures will begin Friday at 8pm of each scheduled weekend with normal operation resuming on the following Monday at 6am.
Closures won't take place on Great North Run 2024 weekend.
Closures won't take place for 2 weekends across the festive period.
Bank holiday weekends will see an extension of the closure, closing at 8PM Friday and re-opening at 6AM Tuesday. This does not affect any Friday bank holidays.
What to expect with bi-directional operation:
North Side of the River:
South of the River:
Check back here for news updates on the works.
5th December 2024 - Additional Northbound Tunnel Weekend Closure
There will be an additional Northbound Tyne Tunnel closure from 8:00 PM on Friday 3 January until 6:00 AM on Monday 6 January 2025. During this time, the Southbound tunnel will operate in a bi-directional mode, allowing drivers to cross the river in either direction.
This is an additional closure as part of ongoing maintenance work that has been taking place over weekends since June 2024. The maintenance is scheduled to be completed in Spring 2025.
We have chosen this quieter post-Christmas period to carry out work, which will help ensure that the tunnels continue to serve our community safely and efficiently for many years to come.
Weekend closures will remain paused as planned for two weekends over the peak Christmas period, with the Northbound tunnel being fully operational on the weekends from Friday 20 December until Sunday 29 December.
We apologise for any inconvenience this may cause and appreciate your understanding as we continue to improve the Tyne Tunnels.
Stay informed with regular travel updates by following us on X.
Thank you for your cooperation.
21st March 2024 - Northbound Tyne Tunnel set for major maintenance
The Northbound Tyne Tunnel is set to be closed on 36 weekends for scheduled maintenance which will ensure the longevity of the tunnels for generations to come.
To cause minimum disruption to users during our busiest times, both tunnels will remain open, as usual, from Monday to Friday.
On the weekends when maintenance is being carried out on the Northbound tunnel, drivers will cross the river using the Southbound tunnel which will act as bi-directional - a single lane carrying traffic north, and a single lane going south.
The maintenance will begin on 3 May for one weekend of initial works, then recommence on 7 June and end on 3 March 2025 - with the exception of the Great North Run weekend and the three weekends across the festive period when the tunnels will remain fully open.
Closures will begin at 8pm on the Friday of each scheduled weekend with normal operation resuming on the following Monday at 6am.
TT2 Limited was appointed by the local authorities that own the infrastructure to manage the toll road in 2007 - during the construction of the second tunnel, and the refurbishment of the first. This management contract is now halfway through its 30-year term and as with all major infrastructure projects, significant periodic maintenance is required.
This is an agreed programme of works in readiness for the tunnels to be handed back to the local authorities in 2037.
Our Chief Executive Officer, Adrian Wallace, said: “We apologise in advance for any inconvenience caused by what is essential maintenance that will ensure that the tunnels continue to serve our region safely and efficiently for many years to come.
“The programme of maintenance has been phased as a series of weekend closures, intended to minimise disruption to travelling public when other similar scale works are being undertaken across the region.
“Weekday customers should not see any impact on travel times but traffic may be heavier than usual when travelling at peak times on Saturdays and Sundays.
“We are investing heavily in a major communications campaign to let people know about the partial closure periods in advance and help minimise disruption throughout.”
Driving the region forward since 1967.
Imagine a time when crossing the Tyne meant ferries and longer waits, hindering work, trade, and daily life. That was the reality before the Tyne Tunnels.
The first Tyne Tunnel (Northbound) was completed in 1967 after almost 6 years of construction, and was fully operational by 1968 when the approach roads were complete. The tunnel brought a vital asset to the North East region, supporting the growth of industries, communities, and businesses. The first tunnel saw 4,000 vehicles travelling per day with a tunnel capacity of 25,000.
As the region grew, congestion and traffic jams became more common and a need for a second tunnel became apparent. In 2008, construction of the second tunnel began and the tunnel opened in 2011 seeing 38,000 vehicles travel per day.
Jump forward to 2021, Open Road Tolling began seeing the removal of the toll booths, providing faster & smoother travel by driving straight through. The transition created 80 new jobs, and we now see over 60,000 vehicles travelling with us.
