THOUSANDS of buses are being rerouted to prevent town centre traffic congestion.

Public transport operator Nexus has changed pick-up and drop-off points to cut out Gateshead town centre from its routes.

From this week, all its services will use a new public transport interchange and there will not be a bus stop in West Street, next to the entrance to the Metro station.

The move will take 100 buses an hour out of the town centre.

To prepare for the change, Gateshead Borough Council created a bus-only lane in nearby Prince Consort Road, and replaced the roundabout in Askew Road with traffic lights. Further town centre improvements are planned for spring.

Councillor David Bollands, the council's cabinet member responsible for development and transport, said: "Taking this number of heavy vehicles away from pedestrian areas is bound to improve the whole shopping experience, which will help to make Gateshead a more attractive option for shoppers and provide a welcome boost for local shopkeepers."

The modifications to Prince Consort Road also form an important part in the CentreLink project to provide high-speed bus links between Gateshead town centre and the MetroCentre.

The CentreLink project includes the creation of an £8.4m busway - a combination of dedicated roadways, bus-only lanes and less-congested roads - to link the town centre with the MetroCentre.

It will route buses underneath the High Level Bridge, along a constructed riverside roadway, then on to roads approaching the MetroCentre from the riverside, via a new bus bridge over the Newcastle to Carlisle railway line.