Mill Lane/Monkton Lane roadworks: Work to start on £200,000 project at busy junction in Hebburn

Dave Carr, South Tyneside Council’s highways and infrastructure manager, has outlined how work on junction improvements at Mill Lane/Monkton Lane will start on June 21.

The scheme is estimated to take eight weeks to complete and will see the current roundabout replaced with a three-way signalised junction.

Mr Carr said the council began looking at the plan for the junction in November last year, with existing congestion issues set to worsen due to planned developments.

He said: “Currently there is some congestion at that roundabout at peak times and that is only going to get worse as the new housing developments develop further.

“Traffic lights get more traffic through than roundabouts.

“The current road surface is not in a very good condition.

“We were aware of that but have held off until such time as the junction improvement was designed so that we didn’t go and do resurfacing and then have to dig it up again to do the junction.”

Ward members have highlighted their concerns a number of times over both the road surface condition and congestion issues, according to the officer.

The changes will “future-proof” the junction ahead of the expected increase in vehicles in the area from new housing developments, and work will also include minor kerb alignments, a new footway, and full resurfacing.

The scheme will cost an estimated £200,000 and will be paid for using section 106 funding, which consists of contributions from developers of local housing sites.

Mr Carr added consultations had been held over the plans and no objections were received.

Cllr John McCabe, who represents Hebburn South on the council, added the work is “long overdue” and thanked officers for their efforts to get the scheme going.

He said: “It’s long overdue. From a safety point of view it’s an incredible job, much much safer than what we’ve had.

“Now we have the money from the developers, great. It’s a win, win situation.”

The comments were made at a meeting of Hebburn Community Area Forum, taking place at Jarrow Focus, the first time the panel has met in person, rather than by videolink, for more than a year.

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