Flyover demolition 'could take a year'

More disruption is expected for motorists with the potential demolition of a flyover closed because of safety concerns likely to take about a year.

A section of the A167 in Gateshead was shut last month after inspectors raised issues with one of its concrete supporting pillars.

The closure has caused significant travel disruption on Tyneside, including the suspension of the Tyne and Wear Metro under the area over Christmas.

Gateshead Council leader Martin Gannon said demolition would be "a really complex, difficult piece of work".

Mr Gannon said the flyover had to be routinely inspected every week due to its age.

He said funding had already been in place to demolish it, with a plan to start work towards the end of the decade, but that could now take place sooner.

The government is yet to commit to helping fund the demolition or redevelopment of the area, though North East mayor Kim McGuinness has pledged to use regional funds to help the council cover the cost of removing the structure.

Mr Gannon told the Local Democracy Reporting Service that, while reopening the flyover had not been entirely ruled out, it was likely it would be demolished without ever carrying traffic again.

The full details of the plan remained uncertain with engineers still preparing proposals to be put to the council for approval, he said.

After a temporary support was installed in December to prop up the flyover, a further phase of strengthening work is due to take place which involves encasing two of its pillars in more concrete.

Mr Gannon said, while the sudden closure "was not anticipated", the flyover had been "properly maintained, it was expertly inspected regularly and, as a consequence of that diligence, catastrophic consequences were avoided".

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