Residents warned of “particularly noisy” Christmas Day bridge demolition

Residents are being advised that the ongoing operation to dismantle a bridge that formerly served traffic on the A1 will generate “particularly noisy” conditions throughout Christmas Day and Boxing Day. The former Allerdene Bridge in Gateshead, which has been superseded by a new structure operational since September 2023, is undergoing demolition. While the removal process has typically occurred on Saturday nights since October, this specific phase will involve continuous 24-hour operations. According to Helen Burrow, National Highways project manager, “This work will be even louder than the previous weeks as we will be starting to demolish the central bridge structure.” Due to the Allerdene Bridge’s former position carrying traffic over the East Coast Mainline railway, safety protocols dictate that demolition activities can only proceed during periods when trains are not in operation. Following Christmas Day and Boxing Day, National Highways intends to resume the demolition work every Saturday night, with an additional six weekends scheduled for 24-hour working. This demolition is integrated into a broader series of infrastructure projects along the A1, specifically between junction 65 (Birtley) and 67 (Coal House), which encompasses the expansion of lanes on both sides of the carriageway. Ms. Burrow stated that most of that work has been finished “ahead of schedule.” She added, “We thank people for their patience while engineering work on the new Allerdene Bridge continues as well.”