Traffic Survey Confirms The Local Importance Of The New Tyne Crossing
A survey of 2,500 drivers - who use the Tyne Tunnel on a regular basis - indicates that journey lengths, on average, are quite small, and that traffic quickly disperses onto the local road network on both sides of the Tyne.
Having used the tunnel, some 60% of drivers stay on the A 19 for only two or three junctions, so confirming the importance of the tunnel to the local economy.
The Tyne Tunnel is used by up to 35,000 vehicles each day.
The survey was carried out for Arup , the international consulting engineers who are leading the consortium advising the Tyne & Wear Passenger Transport Authority (PTA) on the proposed new Tyne crossing, which is expected to be in operation towards the end of 2005.
Councillor Muriel Green, lead member of the PTA for the Tyne Tunnels, said: "The existing tunnel is a bottleneck which inhibits economic development and the creation of job opportunities. However, this survey proves just how important it is to the regional economy. It is our belief that the construction of a new tunnel and the free flow of traffic it will allow, will encourage companies to locate to those modern business parks based near the A 19, that are so vital to the regeneration of the region.