Transport minister visits Gateshead Highway flyover
Transport minister Lilian Greenwood MP has visited Gateshead to see for herself the condition of the Gateshead Highway flyover which was closed two weeks before Christmas.
An inspection by engineers indicated a potential risk to safety if it remained open, so the council moved quickly to close the flyover to protect the public.
Diversions have been in place since to keep the road network moving, and a temporary propping measure was installed over the Christmas break to enable Metro trains to run in tunnels beneath the flyover again.
Councillor Martin Gannon, Leader of Gateshead Council, said: "It was great to host the minister today, to have the opportunity to explain our position on the flyover, go over all the emergency work done so far, and outline our plans for the future.
"We are committed to working with all our partners, locally and nationally, to take this vital project forward as rapidly as possible."
Mark Ferguson, MP for Gateshead Central and Whickham said: "Demolishing the flyover will unlock the potential for hundreds of new homes, new jobs and a better future for Gateshead town centre.
"This is an incredibly challenging time for local businesses, motorists and commuters but I was pleased to host the Minister for the Future of Roads today to talk about how we move to the next phase of demolition and demonstrate our ambition for regeneration in Gateshead town centre."
Gateshead Council has already laid out its next steps for managing the short term future for the Gateshead Highway, with preparations being made for further work on site.
The length of journeys and traffic numbers around the flyover have not been as hard hit as had been feared by some motorists, and the council is continuing to work with its partners on a longer term plan for the flyover.
Engineers worked throughout the Christmas break to ensure a temporary propping measure was installed, to allow Metro trains to run beneath the route of the flyover once again.
A temporary propping device is now in place, and two pillars (known as piers) will be encased in more concrete as an interim solution.
Later this month, we expect engineers to start work on pouring the new concrete to encase the two pillars.
Once that work is complete, we will be able to remove the temporary propping which can be seen on site currently.
This new concrete is purely about an interim solution to ensure the Metro can keep running in the tunnels beneath the structure.
This work will not lead to the council re-opening either the flyover, or the road beneath, to road traffic.
The council remains committed to working towards demolition of the flyover and is working with its partners on the timetable and funding for that.
Council leaders are clear that the flyover structure has reached the end of its useful life and so they are working to gain the necessary funding for demolition, and to replace the flyover with a new road and junctions.
The council is also considering how and when it can open up the Sunderland Road bus lane again, whilst ensuring the safety of passengers and pedestrians.
Currently, this route is fenced off, which we know is disruptive not just for bus services, but also for pedestrians and cyclists who could previously cross under the flyover at this point.
Colleagues in the highways team are working on how to re-open the bus lane and footpaths.
Work is progressing to check on the condition of the concrete above the bus lane, and if any concrete side panels need to be removed.
The bus lane also requires the pillar strengthening to be complete, before it can be re-opened.
The council is continuing to liaise with the North East Combined Authority and the North East Mayor Kim McGuinness who has pledged to use regional resources if necessary to contribute towards the demolition of the viaduct, saying the region cannot afford to wait for government funding.
Councillor Gannon added: "We know there is still a lot to do to address problems with the flyover, and our teams are pushing on with plans to reinforce the pier which caused the structure to be closed, and to work on how we can re-open the bus lane.
"Everything we do is based on a safety first approach. So while everyone both inside and outside the council would like to see more routes open, and to move quickly to demolition, we need to ensure we move step by step to do things safely and properly."
The council's longer-term plan remains to demolish the flyover completely and regenerate the area.
Residents can view an interactive map of current roadworks throughout Gateshead including temporary traffic lights, road closures and diversions.
Meanwhile, pedestrians are urged to keep to the footpaths and not break through the fencing. Security patrols are in place to ensure everyone's safety. Further council updates can be found on our flyover webpage.
Transport minister Lilian Greenwood MP has visited Gateshead to see for herself the condition of the Gateshead Highway flyover which was closed two weeks before Christmas.
An inspection by engineers indicated a potential risk to safety if it remained open, so the council moved quickly to close the flyover to protect the public.
Diversions have been in place since to keep the road network moving, and a temporary propping measure was installed over the Christmas break to enable Metro trains to run in tunnels beneath the flyover again.
Councillor Martin Gannon, Leader of Gateshead Council, said: "It was great to host the minister today, to have the opportunity to explain our position on the flyover, go over all the emergency work done so far, and outline our plans for the future.
"We are committed to working with all our partners, locally and nationally, to take this vital project forward as rapidly as possible."
Mark Ferguson, MP for Gateshead Central and Whickham said: "Demolishing the flyover will unlock the potential for hundreds of new homes, new jobs and a better future for Gateshead town centre.
"This is an incredibly challenging time for local businesses, motorists and commuters but I was pleased to host the Minister for the Future of Roads today to talk about how we move to the next phase of demolition and demonstrate our ambition for regeneration in Gateshead town centre."
Gateshead Council has already laid out its next steps for managing the short term future for the Gateshead Highway, with preparations being made for further work on site.
The length of journeys and traffic numbers around the flyover have not been as hard hit as had been feared by some motorists, and the council is continuing to work with its partners on a longer term plan for the flyover.
Engineers worked throughout the Christmas break to ensure a temporary propping measure was installed, to allow Metro trains to run beneath the route of the flyover once again.
A temporary propping device is now in place, and two pillars (known as piers) will be encased in more concrete as an interim solution.
Later this month, we expect engineers to start work on pouring the new concrete to encase the two pillars.
Once that work is complete, we will be able to remove the temporary propping which can be seen on site currently.
This new concrete is purely about an interim solution to ensure the Metro can keep running in the tunnels beneath the structure.
This work will not lead to the council re-opening either the flyover, or the road beneath, to road traffic.
The council remains committed to working towards demolition of the flyover and is working with its partners on the timetable and funding for that.
Council leaders are clear that the flyover structure has reached the end of its useful life and so they are working to gain the necessary funding for demolition, and to replace the flyover with a new road and junctions.
The council is also considering how and when it can open up the Sunderland Road bus lane again, whilst ensuring the safety of passengers and pedestrians.
Currently, this route is fenced off, which we know is disruptive not just for bus services, but also for pedestrians and cyclists who could previously cross under the flyover at this point.
Colleagues in the highways team are working on how to re-open the bus lane and footpaths.
Work is progressing to check on the condition of the concrete above the bus lane, and if any concrete side panels need to be removed.
The bus lane also requires the pillar strengthening to be complete, before it can be re-opened.
The council is continuing to liaise with the North East Combined Authority and the North East Mayor Kim McGuinness who has pledged to use regional resources if necessary to contribute towards the demolition of the viaduct, saying the region cannot afford to wait for government funding.
Councillor Gannon added: "We know there is still a lot to do to address problems with the flyover, and our teams are pushing on with plans to reinforce the pier which caused the structure to be closed, and to work on how we can re-open the bus lane.
"Everything we do is based on a safety first approach. So while everyone both inside and outside the council would like to see more routes open, and to move quickly to demolition, we need to ensure we move step by step to do things safely and properly."
The council's longer-term plan remains to demolish the flyover completely and regenerate the area.
Residents can view an interactive map of current roadworks throughout Gateshead including temporary traffic lights, road closures and diversions.
Meanwhile, pedestrians are urged to keep to the footpaths and not break through the fencing. Security patrols are in place to ensure everyone's safety. Further council updates can be found on our flyover webpage.
