Gateshead Highway (A167) flyover

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. Since closing the flyover in December 2024, we've been working hard behind the scenes to bring this forward with specialist engineers BAM Nuttall. Together, we've so far:

•  cleared a large area of scrub land by the Sunderland Road bus lane for site staff and an equipment compound
• drawn up detailed plans for how the flyover will be demolished, section by section
• cleared trees from either side of the flyover
•  completed site investigations and checked drains and services, to prepare for equipment coming to site

Following this, the first stage of our demolition programme involves removing Computer House. The empty office block stands close to the centre of the highway - which will be the first section to go - and so we need to demolish it first to get better access to the flyover.

Our contractors began work to bring down Computer House in October 2025. So far, the team have emptied the building entirely, stripped its internal components and carefully removed any asbestos. The building is now being wrapped in scaffolding and sheeting, ready for demolition equipment to be lifted on to the roof, to take it down floor by floor. Once this is completed, we'll then start to remove the flyover itself. 

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. 

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. 

Main demolition work will start in 2026 in the centre of the flyover structure, meaning the busy roundabouts at either end - Park Lane and Bellevue (Five Bridges) - can continue to operate until later phases of the programme. The concrete at the two roundabouts will be even more closely monitored than before, and the side panels netted, to keep everyone safe while demolition begins in the centre of the structure. 

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.

The timelines for each of the demolition phases, along with details of the road closures and diversions required, will be confirmed as the programme progresses. 

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 and have written to them directly with more details. Read the information for neighbours. 

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, with plans for a marketing campaign, and our town centre manager is 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 can currently remain 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, the situation is being closely monitored and occasional overnight closures will be required for thorough safety checks. 

Pedestrians are urged to keep to the footpaths, and use the key crossing points:

• the pedestrian tunnel at the north end of the structure, near Hopper Street
• the pedestrian crossing just south of the Park Lane roundabout
• the paths alongside the Sunderland Road bus and cycle lane

A167 traffic is being diverted to the west of the flyover, around the Civic Centre. 

See our interactive map for current roadworks throughout Gateshead including temporary traffic lights, road closures and diversions.

Please help us to ease the pressure on the road network and keep things moving:

• use alternative routes where possible (for example, the A1 Western Bypass or A19 Tyne Tunnel)
• plan your journey in advance and allow extra time
• use public transport as much as possible
• obey traffic signals and road markings, particularly cross hatching and "keep clear markings"

We will continue to monitor the situation and all options will be kept under review.

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

Additional concrete has been poured around two pillars to ensure the safety of the flyover structure and the Metro tunnels below while we work towards a full demolition programme. 

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 closures

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 over 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 some 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.