Fears about a crumbling town centre flyover dating back to the 1960s have led to major disruption on the Tyne and Wear Metro system.
On December 13, the local council announced that the Gateshead Highway, which carries traffic to and from the Tyne Bridge, had to close following an inspection.
Gateshead Council said there were “serious concerns about the structural integrity of sections of the 1960s-built flyover”.
Then on Thursday, the Metro operator Nexus announced that trains would not be passing between Heworth in Gateshead and Monument in Newcastle city centre, effectively cutting its service in half.
Bus replacement services were running instead.
The operator blamed “third-party infrastructure issues” – meaning the closure of the Gateshead flyover, which the Metro lines pass under in tunnels.
Nexus infrastructure director Stuart Clarke told BBC Radio Newcastle one option was for the flyover to be propped, saying it would be “something that gives us more assurance about the stability of the flyover”.