North East mayor commits over £2 million towards demolition of Gateshead Flyover
The North East mayor has committed over 2 million pounds to help pay for the demolition of the Gateshead Flyover
The North East mayor has committed over £2 million to help pay for the demolition of the Gateshead Flyover.
Kim McGuinness has revealed this afternoon the North East Combined Authority will put the funding in place for removing the condemned 1960 concrete structure, which was closed in December last year.
The A167 flyover was shut in December last year due to concerns that it was at risk of collapse, sparking a festive travel crisis on Tyneside as all Metro services running underneath the town centre road had to be suspended for almost two weeks.
While the 1960s built structure has since been reinforced with new concrete to encase two of the ‘piers’ which support the road, it has never reopened to traffic and is due to be torn down.
Work is expected to start this autumn on its demolition, for which Gateshead Council has already set aside a budget of £18 million.
While the Government has faced calls to step in and help resolve the situation, council leader Martin Gannon told the Local Democracy Reporting Service that the local authority “cannot hang around” when there is an urgent need to get on with the work.
He said that the extra funding from NECA would make it “easier” to progress with the demolition and lessen the financial burden on the council.
However, local leaders continue to warn that Government money will be needed to push ahead with long-held ambitions for a wider regeneration of Gateshead town centre following the flyover’s removal.
Ms McGuinness, who had pledged before Christmas that she was willing to make regional funds available for the demolition, added: “We have agreed to award £2.5m towards the demolition of the Gateshead flyover. We know the impact this has had on local people and we are making funding available for its removal to happen as soon as possible.
“The removal of the flyover is a critical enabler for broader regeneration of the area, which would improve connectivity for local people and the environment. This would require national funding and we’re supporting the council to make this case with Government.”
Organisers of the Great North Run confirmed earlier this month that they had been assured by the council that demolition works would only commence after the annual half marathon, which is to be held on Sunday, September 7.
The route of the Great North Run briefly takes participants under a section of the flyover as they turn left off the Gateshead Highway and head towards the Felling Bypass.
Tyne and Wear Metro chiefs also said they hope disruption to train services can be kept to “an absolute minimum” during the demolition.