OVERNIGHT closures are planned on the region’s busiest road next month as work continues to widen the carriageway.

An extra lane is being added to the dual carriageway stretch of the A1 near Gateshead.

Starting on Monday, January 4, the northbound section of the road will be closed every night between Junction 67 at Coal House and Junction 70 at Dunston.

The southbound carriageway will be closed between Junction 67 and Junction 73 at Derwenthaugh while work continues on the central reservation.

The overnight closures are scheduled to last until Friday, January 21.

The entry slip roads from the westbound A184 onto the A1 will also be closed at junction 69 (Gateshead Quays) due to the closure on the A1.

Lynne Biddles project manager for Highways England, said: “This is a major project to upgrade this section of the A1 to a three-lane motorway so that drivers can stay on a motorway all the way between London and Newcastle, using either the A1(M) or M1.

“We’re carrying out the latest closures overnight when traffic levels are at their lowest to keep disruption to a minimum, and there’ll be clearly signed diversions in place for drivers.”

A diversion suitable for heavy goods vehicles will be in place from Junction 66 at Eighton Lodge and Junction 77 for the A696.

The closures are part of the £61m A1 Coal House to Metro Centre improvement scheme which will see the number of lanes increased from two to three in both directions.

For further details, please visit www.highways.gov.uk/roads/road-projects/A1-Coal-House-to-Metro-Centre-Improvement.