End in sight for major road revamp in South Shields

Since last February, motorists using the A185 and A194 - the Arches - in South Shields have been faced with lengthy delays on their commutes.

But hat is all set to come to an end as works is due to finsh, weather dependant, overnight on Tuesday with traffic signalling systems up and running by Wednesday morning.

A spokesman for South Tyneside Council, said: “It is envisaged that – weather permitting - the highway works will be completed overnight Tuesday to Wednesday with the traffic management having been removed and the signals systems full up and running by Wednesday morning. There will then be some fine tuning of the new traffic signal timings to ensure optimum traffic flow.

“The remaining small amount of ancillary footpath and landscaping works will be completed without impact on the network.

“There will then follow a 12 month ‘defects correction period’, during which any snagging works will be carried out.”

Workers moved onto the site to carry out the £8.1 million scheme in a bid to improve the flow of traffic and ease congestion in the area, following an increase in the number of vehicles using the road since the opening of the second Tyne Tunnel.

The plans are based on projected vehicle numbers up until 2032

Over the past 18-months the road both the Arches and Hobson Way roundabouts have been changed into signalised junctions with a new one-way link being created from Hobson Way to Jarrow Road.

Work has also been done to convert the section of Jarrow Road to one-way between the extended Hobson Way and the A194.

Other work included:

Widening the A194 towards Hobson Way/Elswick Way junction to enable two right turning lanes onto Hobson Way;

and New and improved pedestrian and cycle routes.

The work, carried out by construction company Galliford Try, was on behalf of the council.

The revamp was made possible after the council received £7m of funding from the North East Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) as part of the North East Growth Deal from Government.

The Local Growth Fund is supporting major capital investments to promote innovation, economic and skills infrastructure and sustainable transport across the North East LEP area.