Company awarded bridge contract

The work forms part of a rolling refurbishment programme

A Tyneside-based company has won a £1.5m contract to paint one of the country's best-known bridges.

Protective coatings and construction services company Pyeroy Group has been awarded the work to repaint the Forth Rail Bridge, in Scotland.

The Gateshead company's 45-week contract will be for the southern stretch of the bridge and includes grit blasting and repainting work.

At peak painting periods, the company will have around 25 workers on site.

The work forms part of a rolling refurbishment programme by main contractor Balfour Beatty for Network Rail.

'Hugely complex'

Contracts for repainting specified areas are awarded annually. Pyeroy has already worked on the bridge for the previous two years, which has involved repainting nearly 15,000 metres.

Director of Pyeroy's industrial division Brendan Fitzsimons said: "The sheer size and scale of this job makes it hugely complex.

"Working over water brings its own difficulties, with movements of materials reliant on barge and or rail.

"Unlike most other contracts there is very little mechanical assistance with set-up, access and movement, making it very labour intensive.

"These factors, together with the need to liaise closely with rail operators and other contractors, make the work extremely challenging logistically."