'No plans to reopen Askew Road bus lane' after Gateshead flyover closure
by Daniel Hall · ChronicleLiveGateshead Council have confirmed that there are no plans to reopen the Askew Road bus lane to all vehicles.
Gateshead Liberal Democrats called on the council to reopen Askew Road's bus lane, which was closed to all traffic except buses in July 2020. However, the Labour-led council's traffic monitoring figures suggest that reopening the bus lane would actually increase congestion.
The Council said that on the first two working days since the Flyover closed, congestion has not been as heavy as expected. On Monday, they thanked commuters for following advice to avoid travelling at peak times, use public transport, and take alternative routes where possible.
Colin Swinney, service director for Highways and Waste at Gateshead Council, said: "The traffic lights at the eastern end of Askew Road are automated to only turn green when buses are waiting. This keeps A167 traffic flowing on the approach to the Tyne Bridge for the majority of the time.
"Reopening this part of Askew Road to cars and other vehicles would mean increasing the duration of green light phases, which in turn would extend the duration of red light phases on the A167.
"As the majority of traffic heading for the Tyne Bridge comes from the east and the south, we would expect this to mean queues along the Felling Bypass and back to the stadium. It would also make it more difficult for buses to have a quick onward journey into Newcastle and keep to timetable, at a time when bus travel is particularly crucial for keeping the network moving.
"It has also been suggested that the closure of Askew Road to private vehicles has put more pressure on the flyover and sped up its deterioration. This is not the case. We have actually seen a marked reduction in vehicles travelling along the top deck of the flyover since 2019."
The flyover remains closed for safety reasons. Part of the road beneath it, between the Park Lane roundabout (A184 Felling bypass junction) and Five Bridges roundabout (B1426 Sunderland Road junction) is closed to traffic and pedestrians.
Mr Swinney concluded: "We have put safety fencing in place around the whole of the concrete structure of the flyover while it is out of use.
"Our team on site are doing all they can to secure the fencing - it is there to protect people and we would urge pedestrians to respect the boundary, and take a short diversion to use the open paths at the north or south end of the fencing. We need to keep people safe - if you see anybody tampering with the safety fence, or trying to climb over, please report it."
More information on the emergency closure of Gateshead Flyover is available here.
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