(17 Apr 2022, 7:49 pm)Wybus wrote I’m guessing if you live in Gateshead or south of Gateshead and want to travel by car to anywhere to the north east or east of Newcastle, say if you lived in Birtley, Whickham or Wrekenton and worked at Cobalt, or if you lived in Wallsend and worked at Team Valley, the only viable route they would want you to use now is via the Tyne Tunnel?

I think it's something they've been encouraging for decades to be honest.
The original realignment of the A1 at the Angel in 86 was key. 

Couple the building of the Blaydon Bridge 30 odd years ago to remove the bottle neck at Scotswood and West Denton along with the eventual second tunnel (plus Testos and Silverlink improvements) and they have essentially created an Eastern bypass to go with western bypass. 

Throw in a load of white paint, traffic lights and the removal of pedestrian footbridges in various spots along Durham Road means only the brave and buses venture through that way now.