Road closures on Sunderland's Northern Spire bridge: Here is what to expect

Drivers, bikers and pedestrians are also warned of further lane closures as the Northern Spire bridge undergoes a three-week-long inspection.

When will the bridge be closed?

There will be a full traffic closure, including pedestrians and cyclists, on Saturday, July 25, between 8am and 1pm. This is the only complete closure during the inspection. Traffic will open to northbound traffic from 1pm and all traffic at 6pm.

There is a northbound vehicle lane closure from 8am to 6pm on Sunday, July 26.

Followed by a southbound vehicle lane closure from 9.30am to 3.30pm on Monday, July 27.

Northbound lane restrictions and westside foot and cyclepath closures on Thursday, July 30 and Friday, July 31; and Monday, August 3 to Friday, August 7; and Monday, August 11, and Tuesday, August 12.

Southbound lane restrictions and eastside foot and cyclepath closures on Monday, July 27, to Wednesday, July 29; Thursday, August 13, and Friday, August 14; and Monday, August 17 to Friday, August 21.

What is a warranty inspection?

It is now nearly two years since the spire opened in August 2018 and 9,000 vehicles cross it daily. The inspection is to all the spire's structure from its 105m (344ft) pylon, to its underside, and retaining walls. The inspection is part of standard construction and design best practice.

Deputy Leader of Sunderland City Council and Cabinet Member for Environment and Transport, Councillor Michael Mordey said: "The Northern Spire is under a warranty and this planned inspection is like having a vehicle examined and tested while covered by a warranty agreement. Yes, it's like an MOT test for the bridge.

"The inspection is very important as it allows the council to have confidence that any issues are identified to the contractors and that they will be corrected.

"All the work has been planned to minimise disruption and, on behalf of council staff and contractors, thank you for your patience as we complete this inspection."

A message from the Editor:

With the coronavirus lockdown having a major impact on many of our advertisers - and consequently the revenue we receive - we are more reliant than ever on you taking out a digital subscription.

Subscribe to the Sunderland Echo website and enjoy unlimited access to local news and information online and on our app. With a digital subscription, you can read more than 5 articles, see fewer ads, enjoy faster load times, and get access to exclusive newsletters and content. Visit here to sign up. You can subscribe to the newspaper with 20% off here. Thank you.