Editing Gateshead Millennium Bridge (section)

== History ==
=== Historical context ===
Gateshead Millennium Bridge is part of a long history of bridges built across the River Tyne, the earliest of which was constructed in the [[Middle Ages]].<ref name=":1">{{Cite web|date=24 September 2014|title=Bridges over the Tyne|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/tyne/features/2002/07/bridges.shtml|access-date=6 February 2022|website=[[BBC]]}}</ref> As [[quay]]-based industries grew during the [[Industrial Revolution]] and [[Victorian era]] due to its accessible port, the area became more prosperous.<ref name=":4">{{Cite book|last=Bishop|first=Peter|url=https://archive.org/details/bridge0000bish/page/148/mode/2up|title=Bridge|publisher=[[Reaktion Books]]|year=2008|isbn=9781861894694|location=London|pages=148–149|access-date=8 February 2022|via=[[Internet Archive]]}}</ref> However, industry declined along the River Tyne following [[World War II]] and the quay deteriorated into the 1980s. This prompted regeneration activities in both Newcastle and Gateshead, beginning with the construction of [[Newcastle Law Courts]] on the riverbank. In 1995, [[Gateshead Metropolitan Borough Council|Gateshead Council]] devised plans to develop a new contemporary arts centre, the [[Baltic Centre for Contemporary Art]], and the need for a footbridge to link the two cities became more apparent.{{Sfn|White|Fortune|2012|p=206}}
[[File:Gateshead Millennium Bridge, Angled.JPG|alt=Picture of Gateshead Millennium Bridge at night. The construction of Gateshead Millennium Bridge formed part of wider regeneration projects in both Newcastle (pictured left) and Gateshead (pictured right).|left|thumb|The construction of Gateshead Millennium Bridge provided a link between wider regeneration projects in Newcastle (left) and Gateshead (right).]]

=== Conception ===
A competition was held by Gateshead Council in 1996 to design a new bridge to link Gateshead to Newcastle,<ref name=":0" /> the first opening bridge to be built on the River Tyne in over 100 years.<ref name=":1" /> The bridge would form part of the regeneration on both sides of the River Tyne, providing a crossing between new commercial buildings and housing built in Newcastle and cultural and leisure developments in Gateshead.{{Sfn|Petroski|2005|p=92}} It would also facilitate a {{convert|1|mi|adj=on}} circular promenade around the [[Quayside]].{{Sfn|Davey|Forster|2007|p=38}} Although river-based traffic had decreased by the 21st century, the cities of Gateshead and Newcastle still intended to retain the image of the River Tyne as a working river.{{Sfn|LeCuyer|2003|p=34}} The advert for the competition was published in the ''[[New Civil Engineer]]'' magazine with the brief "We are looking for design teams who can create a stunning, but practical, river level crossing which fits this historic setting, opens for shipping and is good enough to win [[Millennium Commission]] funding."{{Sfn|Petroski|2005|p=91}} There were over 150 entries and Gateshead residents voted for their favourite out of a shortlist of six architectural teams. WilkinsonEyre and Gifford and Partners claimed the prize in February 1997{{Sfn|Petroski|2005|p=96}} with Gateshead Councillor Mick Henry remarking that the design was "something very special."<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|title=Gateshead Millennium Bridge background|url=https://www.gateshead.gov.uk/article/4597/Gateshead-Millennium-Bridge-background|access-date=6 February 2022|website=[[Gateshead Council]]}}</ref>

By July 1997, a final design was under preparation for submission to the Millennium Commission in order to secure funding.{{Sfn|Petroski|2005|p=97}} The bridge, which is the world's first [[Tilt bridge|tilting bridge]],<ref name=":7" /> ultimately cost £22{{nbsp}}million, with funding from the Millennium Commission, the [[European Regional Development Fund]], [[English Partnerships]], East Gateshead Single Regeneration Budget, and Gateshead Council.<ref>{{Cite web|title=How the Gateshead Millennium Bridge was funded|url=https://www.gateshead.gov.uk/article/4609/How-the-Gateshead-Millennium-Bridge-was-funded|access-date=6 February 2022|website=[[Gateshead Council]]}}</ref>  By this point, the name of the bridge was still undecided. The original proposed name of 'Baltic Millennium Bridge' (in reference to the adjacent Baltic Centre for Contemporary Art on the Gateshead side) was objected to by [[Newcastle City Council]]. In response, Gateshead Council decided upon the final name of 'Gateshead Millennium Bridge' in 1998, which caused an ongoing feud between the two councils.{{Sfn|White|Fortune|2012|p=212}}

=== Opening ===
Gateshead Council originally announced that the bridge would be open in September 2000, but it was not completed until September the following year.{{Sfn|White|Fortune|2012|p=219}} The first tilt took place on 28 June 2001 to 36,000 onlookers.<ref name=":5">{{Cite web|title=Gateshead Millennium Bridge facts|url=https://www.gateshead.gov.uk/article/4596/Gateshead-Millennium-Bridge-facts|access-date=8 February 2022|website=[[Gateshead Council]]}}</ref> It was opened to the public on 17 September 2001 to a crowd of thousands.<ref name="BBC-opening">{{cite news|date=2001-01-17|title=Tilting bridge opens eye to the world|work=[[BBC News]]|publisher=[[BBC]]|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/1545986.stm|access-date=2008-09-24|df=dmy-all}}</ref> The barrier lifted at 2{{nbsp}}pm to allow the first public crossing, and the first people to cross received a commemorative medal gift from the Council.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Morton|first=David|date=17 September 2016|title=On this day 15 years ago: Gateshead's Millennium Bridge opened to the public|work=[[Chronicle Live]]|url=https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/history/day-15-years-ago-millennium-11895144|access-date=8 February 2022}}</ref> The bridge was dedicated by Queen [[Elizabeth II]] on 7 May 2002, during her [[Golden Jubilee of Elizabeth II|Golden Jubilee]] tour.<ref>{{cite news|date=2002-05-07|title=Streaker mars royal tour|work=[[BBC News]]|publisher=[[BBC]]|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/1972813.stm|access-date=2008-05-04|df=dmy-all}}</ref> A commemorative plaque unveiled by the Queen reads: "Gateshead Millennium Bridge. Opened by Her Majesty The Queen on 7th May 2002." Before a formal dinner at the Baltic Centre for Contemporary Art, the Queen said "Today I see the tangible signs of the determination of all those within this region to create a new future. There have been so many personal acts of kindness, especially over the last two months, now I have the chance to express my gratitude to the people of the North East."<ref>{{Cite news|last=Morton|first=David|date=7 May 2017|title=When the Millennium Bridge over the River Tyne was officially opened|work=[[Chronicle Live]]|url=https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/history/millennium-bridge-over-river-tyne-12994172|access-date=8 February 2022}}</ref>