The A167 Gateshead Highway flyover demolition programme began in October 2025.
By removing the flyover and several surrounding buildings, we plan to create a bigger, more inclusive community in this part of Gateshead, with accessible public spaces, safe walkable streets, and green areas.
Demolition
Regeneration
Road closures and diversions
- Askew Road
- Tyne Wear Metro
Reasons for the closures
Demolition
Our plan is to demolish the flyover completely and some of the surrounding buildings so that we can regenerate the area.
This is a complex programme of work that would usually take several years to complete. The demolition programme has been very carefully designed to ensure the Metro tunnels, which run directly beneath the structure, are not disturbed or damaged during the work. Since closing the flyover in December 2024, we've been working hard with specialist engineers BAM Nuttall to plan and deliver the demolition programme.
Significant progress has been made, including the demolition of Computer House. The empty office block stood close to the centre of the highway, so we needed to remove it first to get better access to the flyover and begin the demolition of the main structure, which started in April.
The flyover was built using post-tensioned reinforced concrete. The 900m structure is made up of three independent sections, along with the two footbridges at the south end which stand separately, which are also of post-tensioned concrete construction. Several spans and access ramps have already been removed.
Several methods of how to bring down the flyover were considered, but the lowest risk option is to 'munch' the concrete off in small pieces using excavators. The two outside edges of each part of the structure are removed simultaneously, working towards the centre. This slowly removes load from the structure which reduces the chance of any sudden loss of support. Once the structure is demolished, the concrete will be taken off-site for recycling.
Cabinet members have approved an £18m budget provision to pay for this. The North East Combined Authority (NECA) has also committed £2.5m to support the programme.
We will do all we can to keep disruption to a minimum for people who live and work near the site perimeter.
Regeneration
We will be bringing forward radical plans to attract inward investment. The flyover is an eyesore and isn't a structure that we need any more for transport.
We are taking the opportunity the closure of the flyover has presented, to demolish the structure and help make Gateshead and the town centre more attractive for residents, businesses and visitors.
The council has already been working on the High Street South area for some time and the demolition of the flyover will help deliver our vision to radically transform the centre of Gateshead and to provide new homes for people of all ages and new spaces for local services.
Elsewhere in the town centre, we are working with social impact developers Capital&Centric on plans to give the historic Gateshead Town Hall a new lease of life as a thriving neighbourhood with cafes, bars, restaurants and green spaces.
Town centre businesses are open as usual, with visitors encouraged to use public transport and alternative routes wherever they can.
Surveys of footfall are encouraging, and in line with other town centres around the country.
We continue to support the town centre throughout the period of the flyover being closed, by supporting events programmes and working alongside businesses and volunteers to improve the local environment.
Road closures and diversions
The whole of the flyover closed on Friday 13 December 2024. The road beneath the flyover is also closed between the Park Lane roundabout (junction with A184 Felling bypass) and the Five Bridges roundabout (junction with B1426 Sunderland Road).
The two roundabouts below the flyover remained open, as expert advice from consultant engineers confirmed it was safe to do so.
This allows traffic to continue east/west and access between the A184 Felling bypass and the Tyne Bridge, and to the A1 regionwide.
However, both roundabouts need to close during the summer to enable work on the structure above them. During the closures, our contractors will work around the clock to minimise the length of the closure. Official diversion routes will be clearly signposted.
The Five Bridges (Bellevue) Roundabout will be closed from Sunday 21 June 2026 until Wednesday 16 July 2026.
The council will fund a shuttle bus service to serve residents in the Sunderland Road area who will see some Go NorthEast services diverted while Five Bridges roundabout is closed.
The bus lane on Durham Road to the west of Five Bridges roundabout will be temporarily suspended, to allow all northbound traffic to reach the town centre.
On the east side of the roundabout, traffic will be able to travel in both directions between Sunderland Road and Old Durham Road, once the main roundabout has been closed.
The council is also installing additional traffic lights at the Bensham Road roundabout (just west of the Civic Centre) to help improve traffic flow.
The Park Lane Roundabout will be closed from Saturday 25 July and is expected to reopen from Friday 21 August 2026.
The closure, which begins on Saturday 25 July, is the most complex stage of the flyover demolition programme. Work will be taking place 24-hours a day, seven days a week so it can be completed in the shortest possible time and has been timed to coincide with the school holidays when traffic levels are usually lower.
Before the full closure begins, there will be a week of overnight closures, starting Monday 20 July, to prepare the flyover structure for demolition.
While drivers travelling to and from Newcastle are being urged to stay away from Gateshead town centre during the closure, the town centre will remain open for business. Shops, restaurants, attractions and services will continue to welcome visitors throughout the closure period, alongside an exciting programme of summer events and activities for residents and visitors to enjoy.
Traffic which normally uses the Felling bypass (A184) to reach the Park Lane roundabout, will be diverted along Albany Road, Quays Boulevard and Hawks Road to reach the Oakwellgate roundabout, and can then proceed onwards to the Tyne Bridge or to the Trinity Square Gateshead car park off Lambton Street.
Traffic which normally approaches Park Lane roundabout from the west on Charles Street, will be diverted to use the West Central Route or Prince Consort Road via the Bensham roundabout, and those wanting to access Newcastle city centre from this direction will be asked to use the Redheugh Bridge.
Lambton Street has now been amended back to its previous layout, which means traffic is able to enter Lambton Street from the High Street and Oakwellgate junction, and can then leave Trinity Square Gateshead car park in either direction - to the east (Oakwellgate) or west (West Central Route).
Our highways network management team have been working on plans to ensure the key diversion routes are kept free of disruption.
The council will be closing Hawks Road to the east of the traffic light controlled junction with Quays Boulevard, as well as the northernmost section of Quarryfield Road between Gateshead College and the Riga office building.
These closures will mean the main flow of traffic diverted off the Felling Bypass will not need to wait at red lights at multiple junctions, and can travel between the Tyne Bridge and the A184 Felling Bypass with minimal interruptions.
Pedestrians are urged to keep to the footpaths, and use designated crossing points.
See our interactive map for current roadworks throughout Gateshead including temporary traffic lights, road closures and diversions.
Askew Road
There are currently no plans to reopen the Askew Road bus lane to other vehicles as traffic monitoring suggests that this would actually increase congestion.
The traffic lights at the eastern end of Askew Road are automated to only turn green when buses are waiting. This keeps A167 traffic flowing on the approach to the Tyne Bridge for the majority of the time.
Reopening this part of Askew Road to cars and other vehicles would mean increasing the duration of green light phases, which in turn would extend the duration of red light phases on the A167.
As the majority of traffic heading for the Tyne Bridge comes from the east and the south, we would expect this to mean queues along the Felling Bypass and back to the stadium.
It would also cause delays for buses routing towards central Newcastle, at a time when bus travel is particularly crucial for keeping the network moving.
Tyne and Wear Metro
Every precaution is being taken to make sure the Metro tunnels, which run directly beneath the structure, are not disturbed or damaged during the demolition work.
You can stay up to date with Metro services through the Pop app, Nexus website (opens new window), information screens, the Metro public address system, and on the official X page, formerly Twitter, @My_Metro (opens new window).
We will continue to work with Nexus and other partners to manage the travel network as efficiently as possible.
Reason for the initial closure
The flyover was built in the late 1960s. It's getting old and water has got into the structure, so the concrete is starting to deteriorate - which is typical of any structure of this age.
Over recent years, we have brought forward bids for various funding streams but we have not been able to secure funding which would allow us to demolish the flyover.
Since 2017, we've carried out more than 50 inspections on the flyover. They indicated that despite some deterioration, the structure could continue to be safely used with increased monitoring and maintenance, while we reviewed options and continued to pursue the funding needed.
As a result of the increased monitoring and maintenance, we identified the need for a more detailed inspection which was carried out by consultant structural engineers in December 2024.
This revealed more significant deterioration inside one of the pillars. The engineers advised that continued use of certain sections of the structure could put public safety at risk, so we acted on this advice to immediately close the flyover and part of the road beneath it.
We acknowledge that doing so has caused disruption to the travel network and this will continue to be the case throughout the demolition programme. However, safety has to be our top priority.
Thank you for your ongoing patience and support.
