Drivers say station work causing traffic gridlock

Temporary traffic lights on the approach road to town's new station are causing "gridlock", drivers say.

Three-way lights began operating on Monday on South Newsham Road in Blyth, near Newsham Station, causing long tailbacks.

Paul Rowland, 37, said his normal 20-minute commute from the Northumberland town to Gateshead had become "shocking" and took more than an hour.

Northumberland County Council said: "The contractor is on site to update the timings of the lights to try and minimise disruption as much as possible."

"Roadworks have always been an issue in Blyth," Mr Rowland said. "But this is on a different scale."

The work is part of reopening the Northumberland Line, a new transport route which will see passenger rail brought back to the south east of the county for the first time since the 1960s.

Mr Rowland added people were pleased the Northumberland Line was being built, but "we shouldn't have to endure weeks of chaos".

Jen Wake, 49, who lives on Renwick Road, in Blyth, described the traffic as "absolutely horrendous".

"People are totally sick of it, I had to go to an event at my daughter's school and arrived half an hour late, it's just ridiculous," she said.

"It's taking an hour to travel two miles."

Conservative Blyth Town councillor Brian Erskine agreed the situation was "frustrating".

"The traffic has always been bad on Cowpen Road, now it's even worse, and I agree more could have been done to make people aware."

Daniel Carr, Northumberland County councillor for South Blyth, said communication about the works "could have been better".

"I would also support allowing cars to use the Old Laverock Hall bus route on a temporary basis, although I do understand residents there might not want that," he said.

In a statement, Northumberland County Council said: "The works needed for the opening of the new railway station at Newsham were notified in advance to local members, through a letter drop and in our monthly newsletter."

It added: "In terms of the bus gate, this was introduced following concerns from local residents and we couldn't make changes that could potentially compromise public safety."

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