Identifying the need

Transport planning studies in Tyne and Wear over the last 30 years have consistently confirmed a growing need to provide additional capacity for vehicles crossing the River Tyne.

The decision to meet this need by constructing a New Tyne Crossing was taken by the TWPTA following economic, environmental and engineering feasibility appraisals.

An analysis of the origins and destinations of traffic crossing the Tyne indicated that any new crossing should be located to the east of the Tyne Bridge.
 
A site selection study was then undertaken between the Tyne Bridge and Tynemouth.
 
Several important factors were considered:

• avoidance of major severance of communities
• minimisation of other adverse environmental effects
• need to connect sensibly with the existing main road network.

It was decided that there were few sites east of the Tyne Bridge where it would be possible to construct a new river crossing.

Four location options were considered:

• St Lawrence ('Spillers')
• St Anthony's
• Walker
• St Bede's, in the vicinity of the existing Tyne Tunnels.

Five separate assessments were undertaken (one for each of the locations and an additional public transport option) to establish the relative performance of each option against the following criteria:

• performance of the scheme in satisfying traffic demands, and in linking satisfactorily with the existing road network
• social and economic benefits and costs of the scheme, by reference to the local economy, improved development potential, new job opportunities, and land value enhancement
• environmental consequences of construction and operation
• engineering feasibility, operational issues (e.g. navigation on the Tyne), capital costs and revenues, and possible funding methods.

The study also reviewed options to manage traffic growth, rather than increase capacity on the local road network by, for example, traffic restraint measures and improvements to public transport.

The study concluded that, on balance, the existing Tyne Tunnel site at St Bede's offered the most suitable location for the New Tyne Crossing.

During the early stages of the scheme, different types of bridges, a bored tunnel, and an immersed tube tunnel were considered. The final decision concerning the type of crossing took account of many factors including technical feasibility, environmental impacts, cost and disruption to the communities of East Howdon and Jarrow.

The TWPTA considered a wide range of benefits and potential drawbacks when selecting the preferred method of tunnel construction and decided that an immersed tube was preferable to a bored tunnel.

The construction cost of an immersed tube tunnel would be significantly lower than a bored tunnel, resulting in a lower toll charge.

From planning to procurement

The TWPTA resolved in 2001 to plan for an immersed tube tunnel and applied to the Secretary of State for Transport in 2002 for an Order under the Transport and Works Act in order to proceed.

A Public Inquiry was held in spring 2003 at which all the issues of building the New Tyne Crossing were considered.

The Secretary of State for Transport approved the scheme in July 2005.

However, a legal challenge to the Secretary of State's decision was made by a member of the public within six weeks of the approval. This caused a delay of several months in the process to appoint a Concessionaire. During this time, a short-list of four potential bidders was reduced to two, mainly for reasons that had nothing to do with the project or the delay.

The legal challenge was dismissed by the High Court in spring 2006 but the challenger then sought leave to appeal to the Appeal Court. This was refused in August 2006.

In the meantime, in February 2006, the two remaining bidders were invited to submit tenders to demonstrate how they would develop the New Tyne Crossing. They were asked to consider several options. The tenders were received in August 2006.

Following a period of evaluation, the project was honed down and the two bidders were asked to tender their 'best and final offers' by the middle of January 2007.

The appointment of the preferred bidder was made on 12 April 2007. A period of negotiation concluded with the final contract signed in November 2007. This marked the appointment of the Concessionaire who will finance, design and build the new tunnel, and operate and maintain all the tunnels for up to 30 years.