North East Mayor Kim McGuinness tonight promised immediate action on Gateshead Flyover to get Metro trains running again as soon as possible, and then to find a permanent solution to a problem which has caused major disruption to road and rail in the region.
She was speaking after an urgent meeting with Secretary of State for Transport Heidi Alexander to discuss both a short-term repair to make the structure safe and a long-term plan which will see the flyover demolished and a new road layout put in place.
North East Mayor Kim McGuinness said: “We are taking immediate local action to repair Gateshead Flyover to the point where Metro trains can run again in the tunnels beneath it. Gateshead Council must deliver a plan to make that happen within days, they know that and they have my full support in getting it done.
“I met Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander along with the local MP Mark Ferguson and Gateshead Council leader Martin Gannon this evening and she understands that this is not just a regional issue but has real national significance and that an urgent fix is critical.
“The permanent solution is not just to demolish the flyover, but to redesign the road network as well. There's no route to delivering all of this without some Government funding and we have agreed to continue this discussion, but we can't afford to wait for that. We are willing to use regional resources for the demolition to take place as soon as Gateshead can put a plan in place.
“My priority is to end the disruption and harm this is causing local people. I will be pushing Gateshead Council, my own regional transport team, Nexus and the Government to do everything possible. They're working round the clock to get the Metro back to normal and that intensity will continue with a long term fix for the residents of Gateshead and our wider region.”