Motorists are advised expect some delays on Tyneside as the Blaydon Race gets underway this Friday, June 9, with road closures set to be put in place to make way for runners.
The iconic annual race will follow a similar route to last year, starting from Newcastle's Quayside and finishing at Shibdon Playing Fields in Blaydon. With 4,700 runners taking part, several roads will need to be closed on Friday evening to ensure the event proceeds safely - the closures will start at approximately 6pm, and will be in place until around 9.30pm.
Councils have advised that these closures are likely to cause some congestion in Newcastle city centre, Gateshead town centre and Blaydon as well as other roads in and out of the area. Fully signposted diversions will be in place, but drivers are advised to avoid the affected areas if possible and to allow additional time for journeys.
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Newcastle road closures
Here's the full list of roads in Newcastle that will be closed for the race, according to Newcastle City Council:
- B1600 – between its junctions with City Road and Quayside
- Quayside – between its junctions with Milk Market and Sandhill
- Sandhill – for its entire length
- Swing Bridge – for its entire length within Newcastle City boundary
- Javel Groupe – for its entire length
- Close – for its entire length
- Forth Banks – from its junction with Skinnerburn Road in a north westerly direction for a distance of 60 metres
- Scotswood Road (westbound) – between its junctions with Plummer Street and William Armstrong Drive
- Scotswood Road (both directions) – between its junctions with William Armstrong Drive and Scotswood Bridge
- Whitehouse Road – from its junction with Scotswood Road in a northerly direction for a distance of 40 metres
- Skinnerburn Road – for its entire length
- Shot Factory Lane – for its entire length
- Water Street – from its junction with Skinnerburn Road in a northerly direction for a distance of 20 metres
- Monarch Road – for its entire length
- William Armstrong Drive – for its entire length
- Scotswood Bridge - for its entire length within Newcastle City boundary
Gateshead road closures
And here are the closures for Gateshead, as listed by Gateshead Council:
- Swing Bridge
- Bridge Street
- Bottle Bank
- A695 Scotswood Bridge
- A695 Blaydon Highway
- Tundry Way
- Chainbridge Road
In addition, anyone planning to travel into Newcastle or Gateshead for the race should be aware that it coincides with another huge event on Tyneside - Sam Fender is also playing St James' Park on Friday, June 9. Councils have warned that transport networks are expected to be "extremely busy", and are advising people to both plan their journeys in advance and allow extra time to reach their destination.
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