New Tyne Crossing

One of the largest transport infrastructure projects in the UK at the time of construction.

The New Tyne Crossing was a privately financed scheme to design and build a 360m long immersed tube tunnel under the River Tyne in Newcastle between East Howdon on the north bank and Jarrow on the south bank. The project, delivered on a 30-year public/private partnership (PPP), includes a new 1.5km long tunnel comprised of the immersed tube tunnel with cut-and-cover tunnel approaches (total length 1,125m) and a major refurbishment of the 1967-built Tyne Tunnel. The new tunnel opened in February 2011, with the refurbished tunnel re-opening to traffic in November 2011.

The tunnel provided two traffic lanes in each direction and a three-fold increase in traffic capacity rating. The total length of the New Tyne Crossing project, including the approach roads, is approximately 2.6km, with a main carriageway typically 7.3m wide.

Rendel was the lead design consultant (supported by sub-consultants) for the detailed design of the civil works and coordination of the M&E works for the new tunnel and the refurbishment of the existing tunnel and approach roads, associated structures and buildings. The project included several kilometres of cut-and-cover approaches using D-walls and secant piles. The D-wall elements are some of the deepest ever carried out in the UK.

Rendel was also the lead design consultant for the preparation of the DBFO (Design, Build, Finance, Operate) tender design to the successful Bouygues-led consortium.

Rendel’s responsibilities included:

• Tender and detailed design of the new tunnel, highway works and bridge works
• Construction supervision and certification
• Refurbishment of the existing tunnel
• Managing regulatory approvals and consents
• The project won the 2012 British Construction Industry Award for Major Civil Engineering Project of the Year over £50m.