AN area of Sunderland near to where the city's new bridge is being built will be affected by a change in roadworks next week.

From Monday, October 17, the eastbound section of European Way between Pallion Industrial Estate and Pallion Junction will be closed and a diversion created to take traffic along St Luke’s Road and Meldon Road instead.

The Northern Echo:

The westbound lane of European Way will remain open, and Pallion Subway will be accessible to traffic heading both north and southbound. Four-way traffic lights will also be in operation at the crossroads at Pallion Junction.

"The latest phase of roadworks will be in place until February, with a break over the Christmas holidays, to enable utility diversions to continue. Smaller scale works will continue further into 2017," said a spokesman.

"Throughout all of the works, local shops and businesses, including those at Pallion Retail Park, Pallion High Street, Pallion Quay and Pallion Industrial Estate, as well as Pallion Metro Station, will remain open as normal.

"The roadworks are being carried out in preparation for the completion of Sunderland’s new bridge across the River Wear, which is on track to open in the spring of 2018."

The New Wear Crossing will span the River Wear between Wessington Way in Castletown and European Way in Pallion and is the first bridge to be built over the river in the city for more than 40 years.

Part of the wider strategic transport plan to link the Port of Sunderland and city centre with the A19, it is expected to reduce congestion and journey times and help in the regeneration of land along the river and create up to 6,000 jobs.

Stephen McCaffrey, Project Director of FVB joint venture, formed by Farrans Construction and Victor Buyck Steel Construction to deliver the project on behalf of Sunderland City Council, said the team was progressing with the roadworks as quickly as possible.

“We have had to rethink the layout of the roadworks in the past week to ensure the safety of drivers and to keep traffic moving as smoothly as possible, and believe closing the eastbound lane of European Way is the most efficient way of completing this next phase of works,” he said.

“We appreciate that roadworks are frustrating for motorists and local businesses, but we must complete the utility diversions and improvements in order for the road network to be ready for the bridge opening. We thank people for their patience so far and ask them to continue to bear with us during the next few months.”

Cllr Paul Watson, Leader of Sunderland City Council, said: “The team is making good progress with the bridge, with preparations underway for the first section of bridge deck to be launched out over the river.

“A complex project of this size, which will ultimately make life easier for commuters and attract huge investment into Sunderland, does not happen overnight and with no disruption to the road network.

“However, we are about halfway through the project now and can really see the bridge develop, so we know it won’t be forever.”

For more information click here or call 0800 223 0379.