Northumberland Line: Pedestrian bridge installed successfully during closure of A189 Spine Road near Blyth

The road was closed near Blyth on Saturday and Sunday as engineers worked around the clock to build the structure.

A giant crane was used to assemble the 52 tonne bridge and hoist it into position.

Cyclists and pedestrians will be able to make use of the 50m structure to access the railway station at Blyth Bebside once it opens next year as part of the project to return passenger rail to south east Northumberland.

Cllr Glen Sanderson, leader of Northumberland County Council, said: “This is the next exciting step on this fantastic project and brings us ever closer towards delivering the new passenger service.

“One of the key aims of the Northumberland Line is to encourage people to move away from their cars where they can and think about more sustainable travel.

“While the bridge cost £3.297m, it is crucial we make it as easy and safe as possible for people to get to the new stations before travelling on the line.

“We would also like to thank all those who were affected by the road closures over the weekend, particularly local residents, while this huge new structure was carefully installed.”

“We endeavoured to keep closures to a minimum and re-open the Spine Road as quickly and safely as possible.”

Last week the opening date for the first Northumberland Line stations was pushed back to December, while it has been known for some time that Bebside, Bedlington, and Northumberland Park stations would not be ready to open until 2025.