Plans revealed to reduce A19 Tees Viaduct crossing pressure

The Tees Valley Combined Authority said "transformational improvements to the road network" were "critical" for economic growth

Plans for a new crossing to alleviate "frustrating congestion issues" on the Tees Viaduct have been unveiled.

The Tees Valley Combined Authority has put forward two options to take the A19 over the River Tees at Middlesbrough.

The £200-250m plan is for a new bridge to carry northbound traffic, parallel to the existing one which would carry southbound traffic; the other is for a new four-lane £300m bridge at the site.

A public consultation is now under way and will close on 17 May.

Until then, the plans will be highlighted in a series of public events across Hartlepool, Middlesbrough, Redcar and Cleveland and Stockton-on-Tees.

The preferred route will be announced in the autumn and, following confirmation of funding from Highways England, construction would take place from 2023 to 2027.

Councillor Stephen Harker, Tees Valley Combined Authority cabinet member for transport, said: "To achieve our aims of economic growth and job creation, we need a high-quality, quick, affordable, reliable, integrated and safe transport system.

"Transformational improvements to the road network are critical and this proposal... will alleviate the existing frustrating congestion issues on the Tees Viaduct, which carries the A19 Trunk Road."

The £200-250m option is a new two-lane bridge to carry northbound traffic, with the existing structure widened to allow an extra southbound lane

The £300m option is a new four-lane bridge for both north and southbound traffic, parallel to the existing one