Council secures £2.5m to help demolish flyover

The demolition of the Gateshead Highway flyover is set to begin in the autumn

A council will receive £2.5m from the North East Combined Authority (NECA) to help demolish a dangerous flyover.

North East Mayor Kim McGuinness said it would provide the funding towards the cost of removing the A167 Gateshead Highway crossing, which was closed in December over fears it could collapse.

Demolition is set to take place later this year, with Gateshead Council previously putting aside £18m for its removal.

McGuinness said the combined authority was making the funding available for the road bridge's removal so it could "happen as soon as possible".

The closure of the flyover in December led to delays on roads and the Tyne and Wear Metro service, which has part of its track running underground.

The 1960s-built structure has since been reinforced with concrete but it has not reopened to traffic. It previously carried about 40,000 vehicles a day.

Money for regeneration

Gateshead Council's leader, Martin Gannon, told the Local Democracy Reporting Service the extra funding from NECA would make it "easier" to progress with the demolition and lessen the financial burden on the Labour-led council.

McGuinness said government money would be needed to bring about the wider regeneration of Gateshead town centre following the flyover's demolition.

"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," the Labour-elected mayor said.

"This would require national funding and we're supporting the council to make this case with government."