Gateshead flyover demolition ‘could take a year’

Mr Gannon told the Local Democracy Reporting Service that, while reopening the flyover had not been entirely ruled out, it was likely it would be demolished without ever carrying traffic again.

The full details of the plan remained uncertain with engineers still preparing proposals to be put to the council for approval, he said.

After a temporary support was installed in December to prop up the flyover, a further phase of strengthening work is due to take place which involves encasing two of its pillars in more concrete.

Mr Gannon said, while the sudden closure “was not anticipated”, the flyover had been “properly maintained, it was expertly inspected regularly and, as a consequence of that diligence, catastrophic consequences were avoided”.