Cash for flyover rejected 'numerous' times

The 1960s-built Gateshead Highway flyover was shut on Friday evening due to safety fears

"Numerous" bids to secure funding for a flyover closed over safety concerns were rejected by past governments, a council leader has said.

Gateshead Council leader Martin Gannon said on Tuesday his authority had been knocked back multiple times by the Department for Transport (DfT) in prior attempts to resolve the future of the flyover.

The A167 Gateshead Highway flyover was closed on Friday after inspectors flagged serious concerns with one of its concrete supporting pillars.

The DfT said on Monday it was "ready to work with the council to support them on their next steps".

Mr Gannon said "historically" the council knew there was an issue with the flyover and there were "numerous discussions with the DfT, including applications for funding".

"I cannot remember when the last funding application was rejected, but they have all been rejected," he said.

"These discussions have been going with the previous government and there are discussions with the current government."

The council has blocked off roads underneath the flyover

Plans had first been unveiled by the Labour-led council in 2008 to replace the flyover with a tree-lined boulevard.

Council papers show there were plans in 2019 to bid for government funding to remove the flyover, however the £18m scheme was not awarded money from the Highway Maintenance Challenge Fund.

Mr Gannon previously told BBC Radio Newcastle the structure may close "permanently" if the pillar could not be repaired, with plans for its demolition brought forward.

Bridge fears

In the meantime, the council has blocked off roads under and adjacent to the flyover, but fences deterring pedestrians from using a section of Sunderland Road were discovered untied and pushed over on Monday and again on Tuesday.

The local authority is in the process of strengthening the fencing to prevent further trespassing.

Concerns have also been raised about the Redheugh Bridge, which crosses the River Tyne.

According to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, councillors were told on Monday sections of the bridge were suffering from structural problems, but engineers said they were "comfortable" there was no current danger to the public.