Category Archives: Cycling

The North East’s hidden heritage

This is a guest blog by local journalist Carlton Reid. The wide, smooth and kerb-delineated cycleway on John Dobson Street is believed by many to be the first and finest such infrastructure in the North East for people on bikes. It’s the finest but it’s not the first. Read on to discover how the North East was once a leader in providing for cyclists and how Carlton wants to bring these historic routes back into use. Read more [...]

Eagle Star House

SPACE for Gosforth received a letter from one of our members in relation to a planning ‘Notification for Prior Approval’ to convert Eagle Star House at the Regent Centre from offices to housing and a potential opportunity to make the currently very busy east-west route between local schools safer for children's travel. We are very grateful to the author for kindly agreeing to allow us to publish the letter and associated graphics. Read more [...]

Blue House and Jesmond Dene Road Working Group | Meeting #7

The Blue House and Jesmond Dene Road Working group met on Monday 13th March. The Agenda for the seventh meeting included: Feedback from group members Principal options for the Blue House Junction Proposals for Jesmond Dene Road and Ilford Road Construction materials for new paths on the Town Moor The notes from the meeting have been uploaded to the working group’s website, the main points of which are summarised below along with some additional context. If you have any Read more [...]

Choo! choo! It’s the Gosforth Bike Train!

A Bike Train is a led ride along safe routes, and the idea is that it shows people a good route to work to get them started commuting by bike. I heard that GoSmarter was running a Bike Train from Kingston Park through Gosforth to Quorum business park and decided to try it out. I checked out the route and timetable online. I registered for the Bike Train, joining at my nearest stop which was Regent Centre, and received a confirmation email. The journey On the morning of the Read more [...]

John Dobson Street: a Safe Pedestrian And Cycling Environment

In this post we want to look at the new street layout on John Dobson Street, and whether it has improved the experience of those who use this street.  The improvements are a flagship project for Newcastle upon Tyne City Council, with a new traffic-free cycle lane that links Newcastle Civic Centre at St. Mary's Place and the Blue Carpet in front of the Laing Art Gallery and the Journey (Newcastle's healthy travel centre) on New Bridge Street West. 1. Walking The new cycle lane has Read more [...]

Why is the Town Moor special?

In this post we look at the Environmental Impact Assessment Screening & Scoping Report ("the EIASSR") lodged as part of the planning documents for the original plans for the Blue House roundabout and Jesmond Dene Road. The EIASSR's aim was to identify the different types of environmental assessments that would have been needed had those plans gone ahead. Read more [...]

Poor Planning means Bigger Junctions?

One of the reasons stated for the size of the proposed Blue House roundabout was extra traffic generated by new housing developments to the west and north of the city. Planning approval is currently being sought from North Tyneside Council for a development of 238 new houses on Gosforth Business Park. This development, and in particular decisions made relating to its layout and design, will directly influence the volume of traffic through Haddricks Mill and Blue House junctions. Read more [...]

A Better Future – Blue House

At the SPACE for Gosforth public meeting in Trinity Church we outlined how the size of the Blue House roundabout was due to a predicted increase in vehicle traffic; and how an alternative that prioritises helping people get about on foot, by cycle and public transport could be a viable alternative that meets Newcastle City Council's objectives and saves the Town Moor. This post is our feedback to the Blue House to Haddricks Mill scheme. You can comment on these proposals up to Sunday 21 Read more [...]

An Open Letter to the NE Local Enterprise Partnership

Ms H. Golightly, Chief Operating Officer, North East Local Enterprise Partnership. Dear Ms Golightly, Re: The Northern Access Corridor funding criteria I am writing on behalf of SPACE for Gosforth, a residents' group based in Gosforth, Newcastle Upon Tyne. Like many others in Newcastle, we are very concerned about the current proposals put forward for the Northern Access Corridor and their likely negative impact on public health right across the city. While we fully support Read more [...]