No decision on future of busy bridge
CURRENTLY CLOSED TO TRAFFIC AS ROADWORKS CONTINUE
NO decision has been taken on the future of a busy bridge closed during the long-delayed Killingworth Road roadworks – more than a year after a consultation on whether to shut it permanently finished.
Salters Bridge was closed to traffic to stop it becoming a rat run during the major works on Killingworth Road, which has been shut since July 2017 for a £13.5m scheme to widen it and install a new Metro bridge.
It later emerged thatthe bridge, between Hollywood Avenue in Gosforth and Salters Lane in Longbenton, could be closed for good when Newcastle City Council launched a public consultation on its future in October 2017 – an idea which split opinion among residents.
But more than a year later, no decision has been taken on the long-term future of Salters Bridge.
Local authority bosses have blamed the knock-on effects of continued delays to the Killingworth Road project, and say they will consult further with residents next year.
Killingworth Road is now due to reopen in early 2019 – long after the original target date of last March – at which point Salters Bridge will also reopen, perhaps only on a temporary basis.
A Newcastle City Council spokesman said: “Salters Bridge is currently closed as part of our mitigation measures during the multi-million improvements to Killingworth Road.
“It has always been and remains our intention to re-open Salters Bridge as soon as Killingworth Road is open to traffic again.
“The future of Salters Bridge is yet to be decided but this would be subject to further consultation and discussions with residents.
“The findings from last year’s exercise was designed to aid understanding and inform decision-making about future options for people accessing Hollywood Avenue and Garden Village estate via Salters Bridge.
“The over-running gas works has not only delayed the re-opening of the A189, but also further engagement with local people on this key issue which we will continue in early 2019 when Killingworth Road re-opens.”