A BROKEN bolt in the Tees Transporter Bridge will see drivers forced to find alternative routes over the river for at least a fortnight.

Engineers decided to stop all operations at the iconic Middlesbrough bridge after one of the bolts that holds the structure’s restraining anchor ropes snapped in half.

A specialist engineering firm has inspected the damage, however the necessary repair work to fix the problem will take at least two weeks to complete.

John Ivison, Tees Transporter Bridge supervisor, said: “The Transporter is over 100 years old now, and any structure which has been in operation from more than a century will need attention from time to time.

“Parts for the Transporter don’t come off the shelf, so we have to seek specialist assistance for a repair of this nature.

“We will have the Bridge up and running again as soon as we can, and in the meantime I would like to apologise to all those who use it for any inconvenience.”

The Tees Transporter Bridge joined an elite list of transport heritage landmarks recognised with a Transport Trust Red Wheel plaque last week.

The Transport Trust’s Red Wheel heritage award honours the important structures that have made transport history.