Major repairs underway on Central Motorway

LANE closures on one of Newcastle’s busiest roads began yesterday and could be in place for up to 18 months.

- DANIEL HOLLAND Local democracy reporter

The works are part of a multi-million pound programme of repairs to the Central Motorway which started with full overnight closures on Monday of this week.

The A167(M), which is used by up to 80,000 vehicles per day, is being reduced to one lane in each direction between the junction with the Great North Road to the New Bridge Street roundabout during the daytime for much of the next 18 months.

Roadworks are focused on the motorway’s elevated viaduct.

The works come after a survey was carried out on the viaduct earlier this year, which confirmed it was suffering from signs of deteriorating concrete.

The survey came following the closure of the nearby Gateshead flyover last December, amid fears that it could collapse - with that road remaining closed and due to be demolished.