3 metre deep hole leads to closure of A1 in North East

The A1 northbound is closed, after a hole at least three metres deep and 6.5 metres in diameter, was discovered near Gateshead.

Road users intending to travel north or southbound on the A1 near Newcastle and Gateshead are advised to expect delays until Wednesday, after works continue to repair a hole that was found under the northbound carriageway.

Highways England discovered the hole on Saturday night when a slight dip in the road surface became apparent, which led to workers cutting around the dip to discover the large void underneath.

The void, which is believed to be related to old mine workings in the area, is of at least 140 cubic metres. It will be filled with a specialist concrete mixture before the road is resurfaced.

Following that, contractors working for Highways England will need to drill holes on Tuesday to pump more material underneath the repair to prevent a repeat collapse. If all goes to plan they are hoping the road will be safe to re-open on Wednesday morning.

Whilst urgent repair is underway, it means the A1 northbound is currently closed between junctions 67 (Coal House) and 68 (Lobley Hill) on the western side of Newcastle and Gateshead.

The extent of the hole is under investigation, with extra measures in place to minimise disruption.

A new contraflow system has been introduced on the southbound carriageway, lifting toll barriers for the Tyne Tunnel, and the suspending of roadworks on other key routes which are likely to be affected by traffic diverted from the A1.

However, the road, which carries an average 90,000 vehicles a day, is expected to be disrupted.

Highways England have extra officers on duty to manage the congestion and minimise disruption. There will be recovery vehicles on standby to quickly remove any breakdowns in the contraflow.

Drivers are advised to leave extra time for their journeys.

Chief Superintendent Scott Hall of Northumbria Police said: “We thank motorists for their continued patience, and urge them to allow extra time for their journeys and re-think their travel plans to avoid the A1 if possible. We’re particularly appealing to commuters to plan alternative routes to work in the morning and for the evening rush hour as severe delays are expected until the road is safe enough to be re-opened.”

Rob Beckitt, Duty Operations Manager at Highways England said: “Safety is our top priority; we have to ensure the carriageway is totally safe before drivers use it.

“We and our contractors have been working hard with partners since the hole was discovered last night, and will continue to do so to make the carriageway safe as quickly as possible. In the meantime I urge all drivers in the area to check conditions before they set out and to leave plenty of extra time for their journeys. I would also like to thank drivers in advance for their patience as we carry out this complex task.”

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