Council boss accused of 'ducking a decision until crisis point' over Gateshead flyover closure
by Daniel Hall · ChronicleLiveGateshead's Liberal Democrats have accused the council's ruling Labour party of "ducking a decision until crisis point" following the closure of Gateshead Flyover.
The Flyover was closed with immediate effect on Friday night after an inspection found "serious concerns" with the structural integrity of the road. Coun Gannon told ChronicleLive on Saturday that it would likely cost tens of millions to replace or demolish the flyover and called on Central Government to stump up the cash.
Gateshead's Lib Dems, who have 18 seats on the council to Labour's 48, issued a statement on Sunday morning which read: "The Council is right to close the flyover when officers advised that it is not safe. However, the flyover’s structural condition has been clear for more than a decade and, once again, Gateshead Labour has ducked a decision until the situation is at crisis point."
The opposition is now calling for the removal of the flyover so that the A167 can reopen on ground level, with Low Fell councillor and Gateshead Lib Dem leader Ron Beadle saying: "The council and the mayor must act quickly to remove the flyover and enable people to travel to, from and through our town centre. This is a test of leadership."
The Lib Dems also called for £90m earmarked for Gateshead Town Centre in the North East Mayor's Local Transport Delivery Plan to be put towards the flyover, so that work can begin as soon as possible.
They have also requested the council reopen Askew Road to all traffic, after it was made a bus-only thoroughfare in July 2020.
The party's call to reopen Askew Road echoes Low Fell councillor Dawn Welsh's comments to ChronicleLive, who described the situation as a "farce". Council Leader Martin Gannon confirmed on Sunday that "everything will be looked at" to ease the expected serious congestion on the A167, including re-examining bus lanes, but stopped short of confirming if Askew Road would be one of those.
Lastly, the Lib Dems called for the introduction of a dedicated Scrutiny Committee overseeing transport at regional level, and called on the council and its leader not to discourage people from travelling to Gateshead. Their statement read: "It is not good enough for a council leader to discourage people from travelling to Gateshead.
"Residents need to be able to go about their daily lives, emergency services need to be able to move freely between Newcastle and Gateshead, and businesses need to prosper and provide employment. The role of the council is to improve matters, not make things worse."
Anneliese Hutchinson, strategic director for economy, innovation and growth at Gateshead Council, responded to the claims from the Liberal Democrats put to them by ChronicleLive. She said: "Previous inspections have shown that while the concrete was showing some signs of deterioration, the structure could continue to be safely used while longer term plans for the flyover were developed and funding secured.
"This deterioration is typical of any structure of this age and as a result, we have increased monitoring and addressed any known issues over the last few years. The increased monitoring and maintenance has identified the need for a more detailed inspection, which is what has brought to light these safety concerns.
"We will monitor the traffic on alternative routes and work with partners including National Highways and neighbouring councils to minimise disruption. This may ultimately include changing traffic light timings, road layouts and bus lanes, but our priority is to keep as many people moving as possible and having buses running efficiently is key to achieving that.
"Meanwhile, we will also be working to secure the funding needed for a long term solution."
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