After more than a million hours of work – around 60 per cent of that time coming from a local workforce – a £130 million junction improvement in the North East is complete and fully open to traffic

The new Testo’s flyover raises the A19 over an iconic South Tyneside roundabout enabling better journeys and connections to international gateways and the rest of the country.

Drivers can now travel along the A19 above the roundabout and benefit from new slip roads to the A1984.

The £130m Testo’s junction upgrade brings great benefits to the North East, providing swifter, more reliable free-flowing journeys and supporting economic growth in the region.

Minister for Roads, Buses and Places, Baroness Vere of Norbiton said: “The £130m Testo’s junction upgrade will be hugely beneficial to the North East, providing swifter, more reliable free-flowing journeys and supporting economic growth in the region. “As we build back better from the pandemic, this Government will continue to invest billions of pounds to improve infrastructure, boost connections, and level-up regions right across the country.”

Highways England acting chief executive Nick Harris said: “This opening is an important milestone in the substantial investment being made in the North East’s major A roads. “Our roads are not only the lifeblood of our economy, they support local as well as national businesses, and are vital to enable our emergency services to support local communities.”