Update on £60m road plan for Sunderland due to be presented

Following consultation in the spring, the update for Phase 3 of the Sunderland Strategic Transport Corridor (SSTC) will be presented at the city council’s cabinet meeting on Wednesday, November 23, from 2pm.

The SSTC 3 is the next stage in providing a continuous dual carriageway between the A19, the city centre and the Port of Sunderland.

If completed, it would run from the southern bridgehead of the New Wear Crossing through Pallion, Deptford and link into St Mary’s Boulevard next to the Vaux site.

Wednesday’s report to Cabinet is outlining the layout of the scheme and that a planning application is being timetabled for early in 2017.

The SSTC programme is in five phases. These are:

Phase 1 - St Mary’s Boulevard in the city centre (completed)

Phase 2 - New Wear Crossing (underway and scheduled for completion in spring 2018) and approach roads

Phase 3 - City centre and dual carriageway links

Phase 4 - Wessington Way improvements between the A19 and the New Wear Crossing

Phase 5 - Highways improvements between Wearmouth Bridge and the Port of Sunderland.

Councillor Michael Mordey, portfolio holder for city services, said: “As the report to Cabinet states, the SSTC programme is about helping provide capacity for the city centre and all of our city to grow.

“It will help growth at the Port of Sunderland, and help with improved access for more growth and regeneration along the river corridor.

“The overall SSTC programme and its five phases are about a high quality transport link from the A19 and the International Advanced Manufacturing Park (IAMP) through and into the city, and to the Port of Sunderland.”

The planned SSTC3 route starts at its west end from the approach to the New Wear Crossing in Woodbine Terrace, taking all traffic from there around the Pallion Shipyard site and under the end span of the Queen Alexandra Bridge.

The new route follows the line of the existing Deptford Terrace in the area of the Ropery before heading across Simpson Street to junctions with Beach Street and Trimdon Street West.

Eastwards from there the new route overlays the existing Trimdon Street to modified roundabouts at Hylton Road and St Mary’s Boulevard.

Councillor Mordey added: “As a council, we are very committed to improving our city’s transport, highways and infrastructure links.

“All the five phases of the SSTC are very much part of this commitment to improving our city and helping to create more wealth and prosperity.”