says Energy Secretary

A SENIOR Labour minister insists the Government will "do right by the people of Gateshead", as the wait goes on for the demolition of the town's doomed flyover.

- DANIEL HOLLAND

Twelve months on from the discovery of serious safety concerns that sparked the emergency closure of the A167 Gateshead Highway flyover, the concrete structure is still waiting to be demolished.

While there are hopes that it will be mostly gone by May 2026, there remains a major question mark over what will follow - amid warnings that long-held dreams of a major regeneration push will not become reality without “significant" cash from Whitehall.

While Gateshead Council has set aside £18million for the demolition and North East mayor Kim McGuinness has committed £2.5m, local leaders say that further redevelopment is beyond their ability to fund alone.

On a visit to the North East on Thursday, Energy Secretary Ed Miliband said that the Government "absolutely gets the importance of Gateshead".