Gateshead Flyover: Questions raised over the road's future for more than a decade

The recent closure of Gateshead's A167 flyover may have come as a shock to many, but the flyover's future has been brought into question for more than a decade.

The final removal of the flyover has become a fresh possibility after recent structural inspections found "serious concerns" with one of the road's concrete pillars. On December 14, Gateshead Council leader Martin Gannon told ChronicleLive "we've lost this road", and that demolition or replacement costs, from central government, would be in the tens of millions.

Coun Gannon also advised commuters to avoid travelling at peak times today and to use the One Network map on the council's website showing the diversions in place. Here is a summary of the A167's story so far, dating back over 16 years.

2008: Plans to replace the flyover with a continental tree-lined boulevard are unveiled as part of Gateshead Council ambitions to regenerate the town by 2030. Council leader Mick Henry says: “Although this is looking at the very long-term picture, projects like the Angel of the North and the Sage Gateshead started out as visionary but were delivered by this council and have now become a central part of the North East landscape."

2011: Gateshead Council begins monitoring programme on the flyover, which is crumbling in part due to corrosion of its steel structure.

2017: The council says the flyover remains safe for vehicles, but will have to be replaced in the long term. Gateshead Council's then service director for development, transport, and public protection, Anneliese Hutchinson said: "We do recognise that the flyover may need to be removed at some point in the future and we have done some early work looking at options which could tie in without plans for redevelopment of the area."

2019: Plans to demolish the flyover and limit access to the Central Motorway in Newcastle are proposed as part of efforts to cut air pollution levels on Tyneside.

In October 2019, Gateshead Council's cabinet instructed officers to prepare bids for £18m from an old Department for Transport fund to demolish the flyover. A council report from the time stated: "This reflects the longer term deteiroation of the structure, and likliehood of high levels of future maintenance costs." Funds were not forthcoming from the scheme.

2020: The A167 flyover is shut to northbound traffic as part of measures to reduce car journeys and give more road space to cyclists and pedestrians after the Covid lockdown. The measure proved unpopular and was rescinded within days.

December 2022: Plans to remove the flyover are revisited as part of a £500m scheme to improve walking and cycling options in the North East. This included the installation of the tree-line boulevard as well as upgrades to public transport heading to the Tyne Bridge. Transport chiefs aimed to increase the number of short, active journeys in the region by 45% by 2035.

December 13, 2024: Gateshead Council announces that the flyover will be closed to all traffic immediately. This was due to "serious concerns about the structural integrity" following inspections. Council leader Martin Gannon says that all options to keep traffic moving are being considered, but says that cash from central Government is needed for an ultimate solution.

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