A1 Gateshead Western Bypass works cause congestion 'surge'

Costing up to £77m, the work is expected to be completed by 2016

About 7,000 motorists a day are causing a "surge" of congestion on Gateshead's roads in a bid to avoid major roadworks on the A1 Western Bypass.

Work began in August to widen a 6.4km (four miles) stretch of the road to create a third lane in both directions.

Gateshead Council carried out a survey following complaints from the public about lengthy traffic delays.

The findings reveal in some parts of the town, traffic has increased by 22% as motorists "abandon" the A1.

The biggest increase in traffic is on the A1114 Handy Drive, which runs behind the Metro Centre and bypasses the whole of the A1 road works.

Since the start of the works, traffic has increased by 22% with an extra 3,300 vehicles using the route every day.

'Difficult situation'

The authority also found there had been a 10% increase in traffic on the A167 Durham Road, with more than 2,000 extra vehicles a day.

The A184 Felling Bypass has seen a 4% increase, with an extra 1,500 vehicles a day.

Nick Clennett, head of transport strategy, said it was "quickly obvious" that motorists were trying to avoid the roadworks as soon as they began.

He said: "An increase in traffic on this scale is bound to have a serious effect on the road network right across Gateshead, and that certainly seems to have been the experience of commuters.

"The bridges across the Tyne already struggle to cope with the volume of traffic at peak times, so adding more vehicles has simply made a difficult situation even worse."

Costing up to £77m, the work is expected to be completed by 2016.