Sunderland’s Northern Spire bridge receives prestigious civil engineering award after public vote

The annual awards ceremony took place virtually on Friday, April 23 where the Northern Spire picked up the special Robert Stephenson 30th Anniversary Award.

The bridge won the award, which is voted for by members of public in an online poll, after receiving more than 50% of the public vote.

The chair of the Robert Stephenson Awards judging panel, Derek Smith, revealed that the quality of this year’s entries was as good as they have ever been.

He said: “This is the 30th year of the Robert Stephenson Awards, and I have to say that the entries this year have been as good as any received over that time.

“Entries have covered all aspects of civil engineering, both small and large, and are a testament to the great work being carried out across the North East, raising the profile of the profession.

“Despite the pandemic, we have completed some great projects and I would like to thank the thousands of civil engineers who have worked so hard to design, build and maintain the infrastructure we all rely on.”

The Northern Spire was recognised when it opened in 2018 to celebrate the city’s transport corridor scheme.

At the time, the judges said: “This project has captured the public interest both in the immediate area and nationally.

“The scale, complexity and design of this scheme has brought the industry of civil engineering, in many of its guises, to the public’s attention.

"Opening up a new area to investment and enhancing the lives of many now and in the future.”

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