Newport-on-Tay Telford built a new harbour in the 1820s, and the town expanded and grew into a commuter suburb of Dundee as the prosperous jute manufacturers, industrialists and the middle and upper working class of Dundee established fashionable residences in Newport. The local war memorial dates from 1920 and was designed by Sir Robert Lorimer. Newport-on-Tay formerly had two railway stations – the East and West stations on what was the Newport Railway. Both stations (and the Tayport-Dundee branch line) closed in 1969, having lost much of their business following the opening of the Tay Road Bridge in 1966. In fact,
River Tay froze over as far as the Tay Road Bridge, and ice floes remained for weeks despite a thaw. Several places along the Tay take their names from it, or are believed to have done so: The river is of high biodiversity value and is both a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) and a Special Area of Conservation. The SAC designation notes the river's importance for salmon ("Salmo salar"), otters ("Lutra lutra"), brook lampreys ("Lampetra planeri"), river lampreys ("Lampetra fluviatilis"), and sea lampreys ("Petromyzon marinus") . Tha Tay also maintains flagship population of Freshwater pearl mussel ("Margaritifea margaritifera"). Freshwater pearl