Workers have now installed an industrial prop to support the damaged A167 Gateshead flyover, with hopes that the Metro service can be reconnected with Newcastle on New Year’s Eve.
The industrial prop has been installed to help support an ailing supporting pillar under the Gateshead flyover. The road has been closed to all traffic since December 13, after inspections revealed serious concerns over the pillar’s structural integrity.
Following this, Tyne and Wear Metro operator Nexus, on the advice of engineers, suspended all services between Monument and Heworth in both directions to avoid using the underground tunnels.
Now the propping device is in place, work to encase the pillar in more permanent concrete is expected to start early in the New Year. A statement from Nexus, following the installation of the prop, said: “Providing no additional issues arise, we will be running a reduced frequency of a minimum of every 24 minutes to all destinations tomorrow, Tuesday December 31.”
However, council leaders maintain the flyover has reached the end of its life and plans to get funding to tear it down permanently will continue into next year. Gateshead Council leader Martin Gannon said: “It is clearly great news that we have got to this stage so quickly, despite the extra pressures of the holiday season.
“I would like to thank everyone who has worked round the clock to bring about this outcome. Getting the Metros to be able to run again while ensuring people were safe has been our key objective over the last fortnight and I am pleased this has been achieved.
“We will work with our engineers on next steps, which will include deciding whether we partly reopen the flyover to traffic. Our longer-term plans remain to demolish the flyover completely and regenerate the area. I want to reassure residents that we will be keeping up the pressure to ensure funding is in place to allow this to happen.
“This situation, while not ideal, has presented us with the opportunity to speed up the revitalisation of our town and we need to ensure this now happens.”
North East Mayor Kim McGuinness hailed the start of the work last Friday “a step in the right direction” after having called on Gateshead Council to get to grips with the travel crisis “within days” on December 23. Before the flyover was shut, as many as 40,000 cars a day crossed it.
Mayor McGuinness said today: “We have worked tirelessly with Gateshead Council and Nexus to get emergency props installed at Gateshead Flyover over Christmas so the Metro tunnels underneath it are now protected and safe for trains to use. Many people will breathe a sigh of relief knowing Metro will be running close to normal tomorrow in time for schools, colleges and offices opening up in the new year.
“There is still more to do – Gateshead Council need to make longer-term repairs and then make plans for a permanent solution. That’s going to mean the demolition of the flyover which we stand ready to support as a region, but I will also be pushing the Government hard to help us fund a whole new plan for roads around Gateshead town centre and feeding the Tyne Bridge.”
Cathy Massarella, managing director of Nexus, said: “Gateshead Council have successfully completed strengthening works on the Gateshead flyover, to prop a pillar directly over the Metro tunnels. Our infrastructure and operations teams are currently finishing tunnel inspections to make sure trains can safely run through them again and moving our trains to where they need to be.
“As always on New Year’s Eve, services will be reduced from 9pm until the end of service. Please leave extra time for your journey. The replacement bus service will remain in operation between Heworth and Monument for the operating day to provide additional travel options.
“No trains will run on New Year’s Day, as has always been the case, and we expect to return to our normal timetable from Thursday 2 January. Thank you to our customers for their patience and understanding during thisongoing period of disruption.”
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