A LONG-awaited interchange on the A66 opened to traffic last night.

A temporary roundabout will be removed, leaving a new road layout in the £7.6m scheme to provide access to the Middlehaven area of Middlesbrough.

Worked started on the project last October.

It is expected to improve traffic flow on the A66 and into Middlesbrough town centre. Through traffic east and west along the trunk road will now travel under a new bridge linking Middlehaven to Ormesby.

Those travelling eastbound or westbound wanting access to the Riverside Stadium or North Ormesby should leave the A66 via the sliproad and travel up to the junction with the new bridge.

Vehicles from North Ormesby and Borough Road will travel up the new link road.

Westbound traffic will turn left at the light controlled junction with the new bridge and then along sliproad to join the A66.

Eastbound traffic should cross the new bridge and turn right on the sliproad to join the carriageway