A junction improvement from National Highways aimed at supporting economic growth in the north of England is now in its final stages.
The £30 million A69 Bridge End upgrade near Hexham, Northumberland, has seen a new stretch of dual carriageway built under the existing roundabout and the construction of two bridges to form a new junction.
The Government says the work is part of its drive to level up transport in regions across the country.
“This scheme is a fantastic example of our commitment to levelling up transport across the country, and I’m delighted to see that works are nearly finished,” said Roads Minister Baroness Vere. “Our £30m investment means traffic can now flow freely along the route and in and out of Hexham and has put a stop to through traffic needing to navigate the junction at Bridge End. This will give a real boost to the local economy and provide residents with quicker, safer and more reliable journeys.”
“We are delighted to celebrate this important upgrade being open to traffic, which is part of our multi-million pound investment into the region,” added National Highways Chief Executive Nick Harris. “The A69 is an important route between Newcastle and Carlisle that provides a link between the north east and north west of England and is heavily used by hauliers and commuters.
“The section between Hexham and Newcastle is a busy traffic hotspot, particularly at the Bridge End roundabout and will improve access into these areas, saving regular commuters up to an hour every week. It will improve journey times and make them more reliable by allowing through traffic to pass freely through the junction, improve safety, provide better access from the A69 and into Hexham, and support economic growth within the north of England.”
Over the coming weeks there will be final work carried out which includes road surfacing where lane closures will be in place and some overnight closures required.
In addition, a new drainage road crossing is to be installed on Saturday 16 October, where a 24-hour closure is planned for the westbound exit slip road. It has not been possible to install this crossing until both the roundabout and main line became operational.
(Picture – National Highways)
