We were on wrong road, admits leader
A GATESHEAD Council boss has said a controversial decision to close a section of the flyover caused “chaos” and admitted the authority got it wrong.
On Wednesday the authority announced the flyover will reopen to northbound traffic next week as soon as it is “practical and safe” to enable further consultation and analysis of traffic flow data to take place.
The move follows days of frustration as motorists endured long queues after work on alterations to the road and cycle network in Gateshead town centre started on Friday and saw the northbound part of the flyover closed off to motor vehicles.
Council leader Martin Gannon admitted the closure of the flyover caused chaos but said the authority was working to a tight time-scale.
He said: “We knew after consultation and directions from the Government on air quality proposals that the Government’s preferred option was a Clean Air Zone charging scheme across the bridge.
“The bridge needs £40m of repairs and will have to be closed down to one lane either way and a bus lane over two years.
“While that work is taking place we would hope people would change their car patterns or their travel patterns, reducing use of the bridge.
“Covid-19 comes along and the Government says while traffic is down it wants to encourage people on to cycles and it makes money available for experimental schemes.”
Transport minister Grant Shapps invited councils in May to bid for a £250m emergency active travel fund that could be used to develop infrastructure and relieve pressure on public transport.
Coun Gannon added: “Collectively seven North East councils were issued with £16m, which has to be spent within 28 days.
“I don’t think in any normal circumstances we would have introduced the changes without any consultation.
“That fact was Government money had to be spent within 28 days. We did too much, too quickly and I accept it caused chaos. For that I apologise, we got this wrong.”
Coun Gannon said he does not blame the Government.
“They said to local authorities ‘here is some funding to get traffic levels down, you cannot use it on anything else,’” he said. “The mistake was made by us.”
Coun Gannon said it was clear on Monday that closing the flyover was causing problems.
He said: “Anybody stuck in traffic for an hour is going to be incandescent.
“When you have made a mistake the solution is to deal with it, to tell the truth and say ‘we have made a mistake.’
“Nobody is infallible, on this particular occasion we made a mistake.”
The council leader said the authority had been criticised for reversing the flyover closure, but he stood by the decision, saying that it is listening to local people.
He said: “I am going to give credit to the protesters but I think we would have noticed it anyway, they were right to protest, they were right to bring it to our attention.
“They were right and we were wrong. It caused too much unnecessary inconvenience.”
The next step, Coun Gannon said, is a ‘frank’ consultation so people can share their views with the authority.
He added: “You need to work with people, engage with people rather than alienate people.
“We live in a democracy, politicians have to be elected, otherwise they cannot do anything.
“We have to go away and talk with people and it needs to be a frank, honest, transparent consultation.”