Heading onto the dual carriageway

The road is the latest part of the Sunderland Strategic Transport Corridor (SSTC) that has already seen the completion of the Northern Spire (SSTC 2) and the creation of St Mary's Boulevard (SSTC 1) alongside the Vaux development site.

This third phase of the SSTC is from the southern end of the Northern Spire through Pallion, runs underneath arches of the Queen Alexandra Bridge into Deptford and onto the city centre and St Mary's Boulevard.

The council will be announcing further details and a works programme in coming weeks.

Leader of Sunderland City Council, Councillor Graeme Miller said: "As a council one of our biggest priorities is to make sure that we improve our city's transport links.

"We set out a major investment programme for our highways work and have completed St Mary's Boulevard and all the approach roads to the Northern Spire.

"Our strong case for our works and investment has now been confirmed with this allocation of Government money.

"This third phase of our strategic transport corridor is about better links and connectivity across and through our city. A new dual carriageway also improves access to more land that can be developed for housing and for businesses.

"I'm very pleased to hear of the announcement and we'll be looking to get started on this in coming weeks."

The Government's announcement is here. 

In the announcement, Roads Minister Jesse Norman said: "Sunderland is a great city with a great future."

The SSTC 3 fits with wider council, partner and private sector investment plans in Sunderland city centre.

Councillor Amy Wilson, the City Council's Cabinet Member for Environment and Transport, said: "As a representative and resident of the Pallion ward, I welcomed and watched the works progress on the Northern Spire. I am pleased we can now move to the next stage.

"This Phase 3 of the Sunderland Strategic Transport Corridor (SSTC) is about improving roads running from the Northern Spire to St Mary's Way, opening up opportunities for more development on the south side of the river, in the city centre, and across our city."