MOTORISTS are being urged to be patient and co-operate with a traffic flow survey being undertaken as part of the design for a new bridge over the River Wear.

Sunderland City Council hopes to build a new crossing point, between the city’s Alexandra and A19 Hylton bridges, to create a new route into the city centre from the A19.

Survey work will include some roadside interviews to find out where journeys start and finish.

The council is not saying when and where the surveys will be done in case motorists stay away, distorting the results.

Phil Barrett, the council’s Director of Development and Regeneration, said: "Traffic flow information is non-intrusive but information on movements, such as where a driver’s journey started and where it is due to finish, can only be made in a face-to-face interview at the roadside.

"We are carrying out a programme of roadside interviews later this month and, while every effort is being made to minimise disruption, the very nature of roadside interviews means that there may be some disruption to motorists, both those interviewed and those not.

"Naturally, the council would like to apologise for any inconvenience but the benefit will be better information about traffic in the city that will help our case for the new Wear bridge and the Sunderland Strategic Transport Corridor’s links into Sunderland."

The Government last year pledged £98m for the scheme and the council has agreed to do further development work on the bridge design.

Subject to final agreements, construction work on the bridge and its approach roads could begin in April 2012 and be completed in May 2014.