Drivers warned of delays as temporary traffic lights put in place for work on £400m International Advanced Manufacturing Park

Temporary traffic lights are in place from the junction of Downhill Lane to the North East Land, Sea and Air Museum on the A1290 Washington Road, for works on the International Advanced Manufacturing Park.
Image by Google Maps. — Temporary traffic lights are in place from the junction of Downhill Lane to the North East Land, Sea and Air Museum on the A1290 Washington Road, for works on the International Advanced Manufacturing Park. Image by Google Maps.

The traffic lights are in place on the A1290 Washington Road from the junction of Downhill Lane to the North East Land, Sea and Air Museum.

They will be in operation from 8am to 2pm until December 14, to allow for work to take place on the major development.

During rush hour on Tuesday, November 19, there have been reports of some slow moving traffic and tailbacks in the area as a result of the lights.

In May 2019, the Echo reported how Henry Boot Developments (HBD) on behalf of International Advanced Manufacturing Park (IAMP) LLP has awarded a contract for infrastructure works for its 150-hectare manufacturing park to North East headquartered Esh Civils, a delivery arm of Esh Construction.

The contract will see design, construction and installation of the infrastructure required to support the first phase of development of the IAMP and involves the delivery of highways, drainage, utilities, landscaping and environmental mitigation work.

The works will be managed by HBD on behalf of IAMP LLP and is expected to take around 12 months to deliver.

It will pave the way for further building on site, after it was announced that the first unit had been snapped up by French headquartered SNOP.

The International Advanced Manufacturing Park, a partnership between South Tyneside Council and Sunderland City Council, with HBD as development partner, will see scores of manufacturing facilities being built on the site - situated just north of the Nissan car plant - over the coming years, between them creating more than 7,000 jobs over the next 10 to 15 years.