Flyover demolition completed after six months

58 minutes ago

Austen Shakespeare,Local Democracy Reporting Serviceand

Jim Scott,North East and Cumbria

News image — The Gateshead flyover was shut suddenly in December 2024 over fears it could collapse

Stuart Prandle/BBC An aerial photograph of the flyover which only has a short stretch remaining. There is rubble around the stretch of concrete road, as well as mounds of soil. There are multiple diggers on either side and water being sprayed onto the structure by men in hi-vis orange work uniforms. On either side of the building site are small parks covered in grass which has browned slightly. The right side is largely green, which the left shows a road with multiple cars parked, a block of flats as well as warehouses in the distance. The top of the white curved Millennium Bridge is visible in the distance, as is the curved, glass roof of the Glasshouse. Newcastle's skyline is even further in the distance. — The Gateshead flyover was shut suddenly in December 2024 over fears it could collapse

The last section of a condemned flyover, which was abruptly shut almost two years ago over fears it could collapse, has been torn down.

It has taken six months to demolish Gateshead's A167 flyover after the 1960s structure was closed in December 2024.

Under the previous Labour administration, Gateshead Council had set aside £18m for the demolition works. However, the Local Democracy Reporting Service previously reported the costs had climbed to £31m.

Demolition manager Jim Smith said the project had "its challenges", especially as part of the road was directly above Tyne and Wear Metro tunnels.

He estimated about 30,000 tonnes of concrete and steel has come down and called the final day of demolition "momentous".

Current council leader Nick Allan, from Reform UK, said: "It does signify the dawn of a new era where we can start now to realise all our plans to develop the economy of Gateshead."

Jim Scott/BBC A concrete column of the flyover which is surrounded by concrete and soil rubble. There are short wires among the debris. Water is being sprayed onto the site from a hose and there is a grey digger in the left corner. Blocks of brown and cream flats are to the left of the flyover, behind trees with green and yellow leaves. The curved glass roof of the Glasshouse is visible beyond the building site, as is Newcastle's skyline with blocks of flats. — It is estimated 30,000 tonnes of material has been demolished

Chief executive of Gateshead Council Dale Owens said: "It's a huge milestone for us to actually get the flyover down so that we can redevelop the site for future housing.

"It's just a very, very complex project.

"It takes a lot of planning, a lot of infrastructure that we need to protect and that's why its taken us so long to get to this final stage."

With the continued loss of a major road through the town, Owens said the local authority was looking at the flow of traffic and the future of the route between the Park Lane and Five Bridges roundabouts.

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