Flyover now stabilised as talks continue over its future
Work to install a temporary propping measure to support the closed Gateshead flyover has now been completed, enabling Metro trains to run once again.
The ageing 1960s structure was closed two weeks ago after increased monitoring identified concerns about one of the pillars, prompting Gateshead Council to take immediate action to protect people's safety.
The flyover and the road below were closed in both directions to motorists, cyclists, and pedestrians. As the Metro runs directly underneath the pillar, a decision was taken to stop trains running through the tunnels over safety concerns.
Since then, engineers and construction workers have been working flat out to find a temporary solution to get the transport issue resolved.
A temporary propping device is now in place, with work to encase the pillar in more permanent concrete expected to start early in the new year.
However, council leaders are clear that the structure has reached the end of its useful life and so plans to gain funding to demolish it permanently will be taken forward in the new year.
Gateshead Council Leader, Councillor Martin Gannon, said: "It is clearly great news that we have got to this stage and so quickly, despite the extra pressures of the holiday season.
I would like to thank everyone who has worked round the clock to bring about this outcome. Getting the Metros to be able to run again while ensuring people were safe has been our key objective over the last fortnight and I am pleased this has been achieved.
We will work with our engineers on next steps, which will include deciding whether we partly reopen the flyover to traffic. Our longer-term plans remain to demolish the flyover completely and regenerate the area. I want to reassure residents that we will be keeping up the pressure to ensure funding is in place to allow this to happen. This situation, while not ideal, has presented us with the opportunity to speed up the revitalisation of our town and we need to ensure this now happens."
He added the council would keep on monitoring the flyover and traffic and carrying out all necessary remedial work to minimise disruption until the structure was down.
Councillor Gannon said: "The structure has reached the end of its life. To keep on repairing it is just putting off the inevitable and is likely to be more costly than demolition because repairing it will never overcome some of the basic 1960s design flaws.
I want to thank everyone for their patience as we deal with this matter, and I want to thank drivers who have heeded our advice and taken diversions or public transport instead. The diversions will remain in place after the new year and our advice remains the same - which is to not travel at peak times if you can. With schools and work reopening from next week, we would urge people to plan and allow extra travel time. However, we would very much like to remind people that Gateshead town centre remains open for business."
The whole of the flyover closed on Friday 13 December. The road beneath the flyover was 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 remain open, after expert advice from engineers confirmed it was safe to do so, allowing traffic to continue east/west and access between the A184 Felling bypass and the Tyne Bridge, and to the A1 regionwide. A167 traffic is being diverted to the west of the flyover, around Gateshead Civic Centre.
However, to reduce congestion, the advice for those who can is to use an alternative route (for example, the A1 Western Bypass) wherever possible.
Residents can view an interactive map for current roadworks throughout Gateshead including temporary traffic lights, road closures and diversions
Meanwhile, motorists are asked to follow the diversions in place with pedestrians 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.
Updates on the Metro service can be found on the Nexus website (opens new window).
Work to install a temporary propping measure to support the closed Gateshead flyover has now been completed, enabling Metro trains to run once again.
The ageing 1960s structure was closed two weeks ago after increased monitoring identified concerns about one of the pillars, prompting Gateshead Council to take immediate action to protect people's safety.
The flyover and the road below were closed in both directions to motorists, cyclists, and pedestrians. As the Metro runs directly underneath the pillar, a decision was taken to stop trains running through the tunnels over safety concerns.
Since then, engineers and construction workers have been working flat out to find a temporary solution to get the transport issue resolved.
A temporary propping device is now in place, with work to encase the pillar in more permanent concrete expected to start early in the new year.
However, council leaders are clear that the structure has reached the end of its useful life and so plans to gain funding to demolish it permanently will be taken forward in the new year.
Gateshead Council Leader, Councillor Martin Gannon, said: "It is clearly great news that we have got to this stage and so quickly, despite the extra pressures of the holiday season.
I would like to thank everyone who has worked round the clock to bring about this outcome. Getting the Metros to be able to run again while ensuring people were safe has been our key objective over the last fortnight and I am pleased this has been achieved.
We will work with our engineers on next steps, which will include deciding whether we partly reopen the flyover to traffic. Our longer-term plans remain to demolish the flyover completely and regenerate the area. I want to reassure residents that we will be keeping up the pressure to ensure funding is in place to allow this to happen. This situation, while not ideal, has presented us with the opportunity to speed up the revitalisation of our town and we need to ensure this now happens."
He added the council would keep on monitoring the flyover and traffic and carrying out all necessary remedial work to minimise disruption until the structure was down.
Councillor Gannon said: "The structure has reached the end of its life. To keep on repairing it is just putting off the inevitable and is likely to be more costly than demolition because repairing it will never overcome some of the basic 1960s design flaws.
I want to thank everyone for their patience as we deal with this matter, and I want to thank drivers who have heeded our advice and taken diversions or public transport instead. The diversions will remain in place after the new year and our advice remains the same - which is to not travel at peak times if you can. With schools and work reopening from next week, we would urge people to plan and allow extra travel time. However, we would very much like to remind people that Gateshead town centre remains open for business."
The whole of the flyover closed on Friday 13 December. The road beneath the flyover was 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 remain open, after expert advice from engineers confirmed it was safe to do so, allowing traffic to continue east/west and access between the A184 Felling bypass and the Tyne Bridge, and to the A1 regionwide. A167 traffic is being diverted to the west of the flyover, around Gateshead Civic Centre.
However, to reduce congestion, the advice for those who can is to use an alternative route (for example, the A1 Western Bypass) wherever possible.
Residents can view an interactive map for current roadworks throughout Gateshead including temporary traffic lights, road closures and diversions
Meanwhile, motorists are asked to follow the diversions in place with pedestrians 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.
Updates on the Metro service can be found on the Nexus website (opens new window).
