24 July 2026
Commuters who use Gateshead town centre when travelling to or from Newcastle are being urged to use a different route as the most complex phase of the Gateshead Highway flyover demolition programme begins.
While drivers are encouraged to avoid using Gateshead as a through-route to Newcastle during the closure, the town centre remains fully accessible and open for business, with businesses trading as normal and a packed Summer of Fun programme providing plenty of reasons to visit.
The closure of Park Lane roundabout will begin at 8pm on Saturday 25 July and remain in place until 21 August, a period of 26 days.
The temporary closure is necessary to allow crews to safely complete the next stage of the flyover demolition, with work taking place up to 24 hours a day, seven days a week so it can be completed in the shortest possible time.
The project has already reached a major milestone, with the whole of the southern section of the flyover now demolished and the demolition programme progressing as planned.
Anneliese Hutchinson, Strategic Director for Economy, Innovation and Growth at Gateshead Council, said:
"We've made excellent progress on the demolition of the flyover and we're now moving into the most complex stage of the programme.
"We know the closure of Park Lane roundabout will cause disruption and this is likely to be the most challenging period for motorists. If you normally travel through Gateshead to reach Newcastle, we encourage you to consider alternative routes wherever possible.
"The good news is that this is temporary disruption which will allow us to complete another critical phase of the demolition. By working around the clock throughout the school holidays, we're doing everything we can to keep the closure period as short as possible."
The closure has been scheduled during the summer school holidays when traffic volumes are typically lower. Gateshead Council's network management team has also put plans in place to help keep key diversion routes moving and minimise additional disruption.
Meanwhile, Five Bridges roundabout has now reopened, helping to improve access around the town centre during the works.
The road linking Five Bridges and Park Lane roundabouts will remain closed beyond this phase of demolition. Significant damage will be caused to the carriageway beneath the flyover as demolition work has taken place overhead and further assessment will be needed before decisions are made about its future.
The council is planning to involve local people in discussions about the long-term future of this route in the coming months.
Despite the disruption, Gateshead town centre remains firmly open for business. Shops, cafés, restaurants and other businesses continue to welcome customers, while families can enjoy a packed programme of activities as part of Gateshead Town Centre's Summer of Fun events programme.
Anneliese Hutchinson, Strategic Director for Economy, Innovation and Growth at Gateshead Council, continued:
"It's important people know that Gateshead is still open. Our businesses are trading as normal and there's plenty happening across the town centre throughout the summer.
"While the current disruption can feel significant, we're working towards a much better transport network for Gateshead. Once the demolition programme is complete, we'll move forward with improvements including new traffic signals at Bensham roundabout and enhanced traffic monitoring technology to help traffic flow more effectively around the town centre."
Motorists travelling to Newcastle's Quayside from the east are encouraged to consider using Gateshead Quayside car park and completing the remainder of their journey on foot.
Up-to-date travel information, diversion routes and journey advice are available at www.gateshead.gov.uk/flyover
