Great North Run flooding disruption hit Gateshead on race day after a water main burst near the Redheugh Bridge, blocking parts of the A184 and forcing drivers and runners alike to contend with chaos on the approach roads. Northumbrian Water confirmed there was a “heavy burst on a water main”, with flooding spreading across the A189 Redheugh Bridge roundabout and several local roads.
The A184 in Gateshead was partially blocked as a result, and roads in the surrounding area, including Askew Road, were also affected. Engineers were deployed to site to assess the situation as the disruption unfolded on one of the busiest mornings the region sees all year.
Great North Run flooding disruption: what happened on the ground
The burst sent water across the roundabout at the A189 Redheugh Bridge interchange, a key junction for anyone travelling into Newcastle from the south side of the Tyne. On a normal Sunday, that stretch is manageable. On Great North Run day, with tens of thousands of participants and supporters funnelling through the area, a blocked roundabout bites hard.
It is believed the burst affected both the roundabout itself and nearby streets, with Askew Road named among those hit. Drivers heading for the race were warned to expect delays and to consider alternative routes where possible.
The scale of the clear-up operation gives a sense of just how serious the burst was. According to AOL, more than 200 tonnes of debris was cleared from the road after the water main gave way. That is a substantial physical operation, not just a case of pumping out surface water and waving traffic through.
Race-day timing made the Great North Run flooding disruption worse
The timing could hardly have been more difficult. The Great North Run draws a massive crowd to Tyneside every year, and the road network around Newcastle and Gateshead is already under pressure well before the start gun fires. A burst water main on that roundabout, at that junction, on that morning, compresses a bad situation quickly.
For runners making their way to the start, and for supporters trying to reach vantage points along the route, the advice was simple: build in extra time and stay alert for updates. The flooding around the Redheugh Bridge area meant the usual flow of traffic through that corridor was not functioning as it should.
The BBC reported Northumbrian Water’s confirmation of the heavy burst, with engineers on site and the utility working to understand the extent of the damage and begin repairs. The clear-up operation, given the volume of debris involved, was always going to take time.
Askew Road and the roads immediately surrounding the roundabout remained affected as the situation developed. Drivers were urged to treat the area as blocked and route around it rather than risk sitting in standing water or a gridlocked approach.
With more than 200 tonnes of debris to shift and a compromised junction at one of Gateshead’s busiest crossings, the recovery operation was a significant one. Northumbrian Water’s engineers were on the ground and working, but on a day when every minute of disruption is felt by thousands of people, the burst water main near Redheugh Bridge made an already full-on race day considerably harder to navigate.