The Politics of Bridge Building: The Long Wait for the Tees (Newport) Bridge

The Tees (Newport) Bridge officially opened in February 1934 to much fanfare and public celebration, the event receiving extensive local, regional and national media attention. The bridge provided a crucial link across the River Tees to the emerging industrial works on the north bank of the river and beyond, and similarly provided access to the industrial, commercial and retail businesses on the Middlesbrough side of the river. However, delays in the project meant approximately fourteen years had elapsed from initial discussions of a crossing to its fruition in the form of the world’s largest vertical-lift bridge.