Photographs of Gateshead Millenium Bridge

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The newest bridge over the river Tyne is the Gateshead Millenium Bridge. It is described as the only tilting bridge in the world - I don't know of any others but it's a brave claim to make.

In 1996 Gateshead Council launched a competition to find a bridge that would link developments on both sides of the River Tyne and also complement the existing bridges crossing the river. The brief was to create a bridge for pedestrians and cyclists that:
- Allowed ships to pass underneath;
- Did not overshadow the world famous view of the existing bridges;
- Didn't obstruct the Quayside.

The bridge is made up of a pair of steel arches; the deck that comprises the pedestrian and cycle path and the supporting deck that forms an ark over the river. The bridge tilts as a single, rigid structure. As the arch lowers, the pathway rises, each counterbalancing the other.