Drivers are being warned that the Tyne Tunnel will be closed northbound this weekend.
The road will be shut from Saturday evening until Sunday evening so that a compulsory safety training exercise can be carried out.
During this time, the southbound tunnel will be carry traffic travelling in both directions.
The training, which happens every four years, is a joint exercise between TT2 Limited, which operates the Tyne Tunnels, North and South Tyneside Councils, and the emergency services to ensure that the routes are safe in the event of an emergency.
The exercise will see TT2, the police, fire brigade and ambulance services dealing with a selection of ‘live’ scenarios in the tunnel, and North and South Tyneside Councils will coordinate emergency transport and rest centres for evacuated people.
Phil Smith, chief executive of TT2 Limited, said: "Safety is our highest priority at the Tyne Tunnels, and occasionally this means that we must run scenarios as if they were real.
"This ensures that, should we be faced with an emergency, we are confident that all parties concerned are in the best position to deal with the situation safely.
"It's a fantastic opportunity for us to work closely with our clients at the North and South Tyneside Councils, and with the teams at the emergency services, so that they are familiar with the layout of the Tyne Tunnels.
"Our customers value our excellent safety standards, and appreciate that, very occasionally, these types of exercises are necessary."
The northbound tunnel will close from 8pm on Saturday and re-open again at around 5pm on Sunday.
