Drivers warned of slow-moving traffic as 10 huge loads will moved through city centre to Port of Sunderland

The loads will be taken from the Deptford site of crane manufacturer Liebherr to the Port of Sunderland with the first four to be moved the morning of Monday, April 26.

Some will be almost 30 metres long – that’s 100ft – with the initial loads scheduled to leave Liebherr and travel towards the port from 9.30am.

The loads, which will also measure between 5.5m and 5.6m wide – around 18ft – will be escorted by Northumbria Police along Farringdon Road, A1231 Silksworth Row, St Mary’s Boulevard, A1018 West Wear Street and High Street East before arriving at the Port of Sunderland.

Sunderland City Council has said the departure times have been set up to avoid peak travel times.

On Friday, April 30, the remaining six abnormal loads, measuring between 27m and 29m long – 95ft – will travel along the same route.

The council’s Executive Director of City Development Peter McIntyre said: "While there could be some delays and inconvenience to highways users, please remember that these are goods for export which have been manufactured here in Sunderland and are now being exported through our port to their new homes.

"We appreciate motorists’ patience as these goods make their way to the port.

"Highways staff and contractors on the Sunderland Strategic Transport Corridor project have worked very closely with the police and Liebherr on ensuring that these large loads are transported safely and conveniently to the Port of Sunderland.

"Staff at the port have also worked closely on this important shipping movement which are a very large physical example of products that have been Made in Sunderland."

The Sunderland Strategic Transport Corridor (SSTC) is under construction as a continuous dual carriageway link between the A19 and the city centre, with the third phase, a 2km link between the Northern Spire and the city centre, due for completion in Autumn 2021.

The overall scheme cost is £70.8 million with more than half of that value is incorporated into the main construction contract.

Land acquisition, diversions of buried services, design, project management and risk allowances make up the remainder.

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