A1 Gateshead Western Bypass to close overnight for footbridge demolition
Sections of the A1 Gateshead Western Bypass will be closed overnight on Friday (5 June) while work takes place to demolish Chiltern Gardens footbridge, as part of a major project to upgrade the dual carriageway.
A new footbridge will be built at a later date which will provide better facilities for pedestrians and cyclists, and improve visibility for drivers travelling along the road.
The removal of the bridge has been planned carefully to minimise disruption to road users but drivers are advised to allow extra time to complete their journeys.
Lynne Biddles, Project Manager at Highways England, said:
We are carrying out this work overnight at the weekend when fewer people are using the A1, so that we can keep the impact to a minimum. We appreciate that this may impact on local residents and we thank them for their continued patience and understanding as we complete these works.
Replacing the bridge will improve visibility for people travelling along the road. It will also improve safety for our team as they continue to make improvements to the road.
There’ll be diversions in place while the work is carried out but we’re encouraging people to allow extra time for their journeys or to travel at another time of day if at all possible.
The closures will take place between 8pm on Friday 5 June and 9am on Saturday 6 June. The roads may also need to be closed overnight on Saturday to complete the work.
During the demolition the northbound side of the A1 will be closed between junction 67 Coal House and junction 73 Derwenthaugh, and the southbound side will be closed between junction 69 at Gateshead Quays and junction 67 Coal House. A short section of the westbound A184 will also be closed between Teams and the A1.
Clearly-signed diversions will take drivers along local roads although lorry drivers will need to use the A167 instead, due to height and weight restrictions.
The demolition is part of the major scheme by Highways England to add an extra lane on a four-mile stretch of the A1 between junction 67 Coal House, and junction 71 Metro Centre, providing three lanes in each direction.
The number of lanes will also be increased from two to five on a third-of-a-mile section of the A1 between junction 68 at Lobley Hill and junction 69 at Gateshead Quays. This will provide a link for local road users, helping to keep traffic moving on the A1.
More information about the scheme is available at www.highways.gov.uk/roads/road-projects/a1-coal-house-to-metro-centre-improvement.
General enquiries
Members of the public should contact the Highways England customer contact centre on 0300 123 5000.
Media enquiries
Journalists should contact the Highways England press office on 0844 693 1448 and use the menu to speak to the most appropriate press officer.