Highways works to resume in North Tyneside

Highways works are set to resume in North Tyneside from next week (25 May).

Since the government lockdown there has been a reduced highways inspection regime in the borough.

Potholes have continued to be filled and gulleys cleaned in emergencies only.

However, road resurfacing restarted earlier this month (May) and from next week further highways works will begin again.

This is in line with government guidance that construction activity should take place.

Working with its partner Capita, which delivers highways and construction work in the borough, North Tyneside Council has identified highway services that could be reinstated in line with national safety guidance.

Cllr Carl Johnson, cabinet member for Environment and Transport, said: “We recognise that it is vital we have a highway network that enables the safe movement of key workers, emergency services and others during the Covid-19 pandemic.

“Consequently, we’ve looked carefully at what highway services can resume while ensuring safe working practices are followed.”

The workforce will follow Public Health England advice and new working procedures specially developed for the construction industry to ensure they operate safely and effectively and that contact with the public is minimised.

From week commencing 25 May, the following changes to highways services will be made:

Highway inspections: Currently only main roads and areas of high footfall such as the seafront are being inspected. Inspections will start to increase over the next few months and will cover larger areas of the highway network.

Highway repairs: At present only emergency defects are being attended to.  This will be gradually increased to other planned repairs and improvement schemes. The annual road resurfacing programme will also commence shortly.

Other engineering work: A range of other highways work will also be phased in over the next few months including coastal repairs, bridge work, road marking and other general maintenance work.