Time to call time on the Transporter? Why waste 7M to reopen it to traffic? After 109 years its no longer fit for purpose.

[r00fie1]

'It's not a relic': Leaders agree Transporter Bridge should reopen

The 109-year-old bridge has been closed since August 2019 due to serious safety concerns and would cost £7m to fully reopen

www.gazettelive.co.uk

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'It's not just a relic of our past': Leaders agree that council should reopen Transporter Bridge​

[Edited]
A host of Teesside politicians have lined up to call for the Transporter Bridge to keep carrying passengers after £7m costs to repair the beleaguered structure were revealed.


The 109-year-old bridge has been closed since August 2019 due to serious safety concerns.


Middlesbrough Council is mulling over options for its future - including a £4m plan to retire the bridge from carrying traffic by converting it into a visitor attraction over the next decade.

Now Conservative Tees Valley Mayor Ben Houchen has urged leaders to keep the Transporter working after branding the alternative plan “terrible”.

Mr Houchen said: “It shouldn’t just be regarded as a relic of our past destined only to be seen moving in ageing video footage.

“The Transporter Bridge has been an important crossing over the Tees for more than 100 years and should remain so now and into the future.

“While it has been out of use, many people based in Hartlepool, Port Clarence and other areas north of the Tees have been greatly frustrated by the lack of transport across the river.

“We must maintain that connection.”

Council leaders are set to put an extra £655,000 towards urgent repairs on the Transporter this month before a consultation is launched on whether it should open again.

Officials say the full cost of reopening the bridge to traffic at rush hour could come to more than £7m in the next decade.

But Middlesbrough’s deputy mayor Antony High has voiced his own doubts about turning the Transporter into a visitor attraction.

Cllr High said: “I know a decision has not yet been made but I will make a promise to the people of Middlesbrough to do my best to keep our pride and joy in action.

“While it is obvious that the bridge is now nearing 110 years old and is well past its best, I don’t believe that should be the reason for us to stand back and watch it finally come to a devastating stand still.

“The Transporter Bridge is our town’s iconic beacon of pride - and while there is still a glimmer of hope that it can continue to serve the people of Middlesbrough, and wider Teesside, I will keep pushing for an outcome that keeps it in action.”

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It needs to be restored to full working order for the benefit of those who used it daily - both by foot and in vehicles, up until August last year. But, is it priority given that 7M could be better targeted at essential care services during these unusual times?

Perhaps the cost of restoration should involve the whole of Tees Valley - to contribute financially? Its not just Middlesbrough`s responsibility. If Tees Viaduct was in need of restoration the people of Middlesbrough would not be expected to pay for it

 

[slavens_holgate_fence]

It should be restored, its a national landmark.
It means so much to teessiders, or it should anyway.

Councils waste millions on unsuccessful road alterations, especially in Stockton.
7M is not a great deal of money in the grand scheme of things.

I hope they finance the improvement works and bring it back to its glory

 

[atypical_boro]

Time to flog it to some native Americans. Why Aye man.

 

[Davey_C]

Build a road bridge (one that swings if needed) to replace the bridge's 'practical' use it would take a shed load of traffic off the a19 and newport junction

 

[Norfolkred1]

With their track record, Stockton Council will foot the bill.

 

[atypical_boro]

Build a road bridge (one that swings if needed) to replace the bridge's 'practical' use it would take a shed load of traffic off the a19 and newport junction

I was thinking something like that. I'm no civil engineer though.

 

[Liamo]

Build a road bridge (one that swings if needed) to replace the bridge's 'practical' use it would take a shed load of traffic off the a19 and newport junction

Building a new road bridge would cost a whole hell of a lot more than £7 million - probably in the order of £100 million or more.

The two new Tees bridges that were being proposed in 2017 for example, had an estimated combined total cost of £270 million.

Two new bridges across River Tees proposed

 

[TheBoy999]

Retire it and make it into a visitors centre that pays for itself. Spending £7 million on something that has very little practical use when kids are going hungry seems inappropriate at best.

 

[Anton_Berg]

A hologram maybe? Money will be found for Hammersmith Bridge, regardless of how many are in poverty.

 

[HolgateCorner]

I think it should be kept in working order.

As time goes on it will become more and more valuable as a tourist attraction and will pay for itself.

I would liken it to Whitby. Whitby is like a living museum but when I was a kid we used to go on bank holidays, park in the cliff top car park go to the beach, have the fish and chips and wander about. It was no big deal then. But 50 years on and it is rammed even in winter because it is unique and unchanged in a world which has moved on.

We need to preserve these things and the Transporter is something which is that little bit different.

 

[atypical_boro]

I think it should be kept in working order.

As time goes on it will become more and more valuable as a tourist attraction and will pay for itself.

I would liken it to Whitby. Whitby is like a living museum but when I was a kid we used to go on bank holidays, park in the cliff top car park go to the beach, have the fish and chips and wander about. It was no big deal then. But 50 years on and it is rammed even in winter because it is unique and unchanged in a world which has moved on.

We need to preserve these things and the Transporter is something which is that little bit different.

Preserve it to look at, but is the actual crossing element essential?

 

[Capybara]

Preserve it to look at, but is the actual crossing element essential?

What it does is what it is and if you don't preserve what it does then then it isn't the Transporter any more, it's only a quite nice-looking piece of metal.

 

[Muttley]

Preserve it to look at, but is the actual crossing element essential?

Without the "crossing element" what is it?

 

[r00fie1]

Build a road bridge (one that swings if needed) to replace the bridge's 'practical' use it would take a shed load of traffic off the a19 and newport junction

Like the one on the Tyne in Newcastle?

 

[Otto42]

Council seem to be taking the right approach by consulting with the community before committing to spend public money. If I am being cynical I would suggest that Ben Houchen seems to be looking to make this into a party political issue?

 

[El Guapo]

Definitely keep it in working order but also build a link bridge further east from south bank area to Billog/Seaton Road as per the gazette article. New crossing Should be funded by central government if they are serious about levelling up the country and also about developing Teesside as they claim to be.

 

[chickenrunner]

£7M is absolute buttons in the greater scheme of things. Surely we can get some sort of EU heritage support grant ...................... oh, wait ..................

 

[indeedido]

There are numerous coastal bridges around GB now - I drove across many of them on a recent trip round GB coast line.
It is striking how badly the Tees Valley area is connected.
The Tees viaduct is a monstrosity not fit for purpose and the infrastructure east of it is really poor. The A66 riding above Middlesbrough is another horrendous artery.

There should be a much better west Tees crossing to replace the viaduct and a new east Tees crossing to properly connect the Tees Valley. Make them both road rail bridges and allow the Tees Valley to be completely connected.
Anybody think there is much chance of any of it happening nationally funded...?
The Transporter is truly iconic and the best of its kind in the world. I find it annoying that people would just let that go in an area that has nothing else iconic.

 

[rob_fmttm]

We need to keep this as a working bridge - how long will it last if it just stands still? But as a working Transporter it has world class interest. And it needs to be promoted on an national as well as international scale. The Transporter is our icon and it can be our future if we really push it to the fore in the way it is - almost unique world-wide. That is why £7m can be an investment for the future. And spending such serious money might make us spend serious time in making it a lynch pin for the future of the area around the Tees - make it the hub of Teesside.

 

[rob_fmttm]

Like the one on the Tyne in Newcastle?
View attachment 10231

Have you ever wondered why they built a Transporter and not a swing bridge over the Tees? Have a look at how much it would cost to swing across that gap etc. Remember very large modules still pass under the Transporter from sheds at Clarences.