The UK’s Highways Agency has received approval to further widen the A1 Western Bypass at Gateshead, to help ease traffic congestion in the area.

Roads Minister Robert Goodwill has given clearance to widen 3.98 miles of the A1 to three lanes in both directions, an additional 3.05 miles to the previously approved plan.

With the new approval, the Western Bypass will be upgraded from the Coal House junction up to the Metro Centre junction, and not just from Lobley Hill to Dunston.

In addition to widening the A1, a new 0.33 mile parallel link road will be constructed adjacent to the main line A1, for north and south-bound traffic, between Lobley Hill and Gateshead Quays, providing a route for local road users.

The extension is a result of £19m savings in the design phase of the original scheme.

"The A1 Western Bypass is a key strategic route and the provision of parallel link roads for local traffic will ease congestion and improve journey times."

Goodwill said, "The A1 Western Bypass is a key strategic route and the provision of parallel link roads for local traffic will ease congestion and improve journey times."

Highways Agency project manager Lynne Biddles said that the scheme will increase capacity, reduce congestion for people using the A1 Western Bypass, and help support planned development in the area.

"Now the business case for extending it north to Metro Centre and south to Coal House has been accepted the benefits will extend even further," Biddles noted.

The scheme will now be known as A1 Coal House to Metro Centre, with construction scheduled to begin in 2014/15.