Work is about to start on a £4.7million North Tyneside Council project that will help to encourage further investment in the North Bank of the Tyne area.
The North Bank of the Tyne Highway Improvement Scheme aims to remove key transport barriers, enabling industry to invest in available land along the River Tyne. The area has development potential for the creation of up to 7,000 local jobs over an area totalling some 133 acres.
There will be improvements to seven junctions, including improved cycling and pedestrian routes, and additional capacity on the road network.
The scheme, which is due for completion by autumn 2018, is funded by the North East Local Enterprise Partnership and will be delivered for the council by its partner, Capita.
Already this year Capita has completed highway improvement works at the A1056 Sandy Lane and at Billy Mill junction on the A1058 Coast Road. It is currently on site delivering the A19/A191 Holystone Interchange Improvement Scheme, which remains on course for completion by Spring 2018.
North Tyneside’s Deputy Mayor, Councillor Bruce Pickard, said: “Around £150 million is being invested in North Tyneside’s highways to make it easier to get around as well as improve road safety.
“Works along the North Bank of the Tyne will create additional capacity now - enhancing the desirability of new employment sites. The scheme will also make a valuable contribution to the council’s Transport Strategy, which aims to reduce congestion and improve journey times across the borough.”
The works programme has been devised to avoid conflicts with other major roads schemes. The main site compound will be situated off the access road to the Household Waste Recycling Centre.
The first element of the scheme will see improvements made for pedestrians and cyclists on the A187 Hadrian Road Wallsend, between Davy Bank and Hadrian Road Metro Station; this is expected to start during the week commencing 9 October 2017 and is scheduled for completion by Christmas 2017.
The work here will include improved crossing facilities for pedestrians and cyclists at the Davy Bank roundabout and on Amec Way; a shared and segregated footpath/cycleway on the south side of the A187 between these two points; and the introduction of a Toucan crossing at Hadrian Road Metro Station, linking the National Cycle Route 72 to the north side of the A187 Hadrian Road.
Elsewhere in the borough, repairs to the A193 Wallsend Road Bridge abutments are now complete, and the traffic contraflow on the bridge has been removed.
The only remaining work to the bridge relates to the temporary reinstatement of the central reservation, which includes the pedestrian crossing point at the eastern end of the bridge.
To subscribe to a fortnightly e-bulletin, which will provide more specific detail of works ahead as the North Bank of the Tyne scheme progresses, email: roads@northtyneside.gov.uk, putting ‘NBOT’ in the subject heading.
If you have any queries about the improvement scheme, please email: roads@northtyneside.gov.uk or Tel: (0191) 643 6500.