The North East mayor’s offer to help pay for the demolition of the closed Gateshead Flyover has angered neighbouring council chiefs.
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00:00The North East Mayor's offer to help pay for the demolition of the closed Gateshead flyover
00:04has angered neighbouring council chiefs.
00:06Kim McGuinness has pledged that she would commit regional funds to help knock down the A167 flyover,
00:12which has been shut since mid-December due to structural concerns.
00:16The Labour Mayor has warned that Tyneside can't afford to wait for the government to
00:19decide if it will put money towards a bigger redevelopment of the area and town centre.
00:24Senior politicians in both Durham and Northumberland have now spoken out against
00:28the prospect of the North East Combined Authority effectively bailing out Gateshead Council.
00:32They have complained that doing so could divert cash secured through the North East
00:36devolution deal away from other regional priorities and risks,
00:39setting a precedent for the council's asking the Mayor to deal with their own road repair issues.
00:44Past estimates from 2019 suggested that removing the A167 flyover and regenerating its surroundings
00:51could cost anywhere from £13 million to £74 million, depending on the ambition of the project,
00:57though those prices will likely have increased since.