Newcastle City Council has announced plans, as part of its Covid-19 response, to close five local bridges to through traffic, so they can be used in safety by people who don't currently feel comfortable walking or cycling because of the volume of traffic. Read more [...] Enabling Safe Walking and Cycling via Local Bridges
6 Replies
Newcastle City Council has announced plans, as part of its Covid-19 response, to close five local bridges to through traffic, so they can be used in safety by people who don't currently feel comfortable walking or cycling because of the volume of traffic. Read more [...] 
In December 2015, responding to the Council's initial consultation, we said "Currently this is a busy dual carriageway with frequent busses and fast-moving traffic: it is hard for pedestrians to cross and is largely unsuited to all but the bravest of cyclists." Now crossing is easier and local residents can cycle safely in relative comfort along this stretch of road, and it is now one of the few places in Newcastle where it is possible to cycle safely along a main road. 
Newcastle City Council have proposed that Blackett Street and parts of New Bridge Street are made into a pedestrian area linking Northumberland Street, Monument and Old Eldon Square. This blog is our response to the Council's consultation. 
In 2019 we started to track local media stories about people hurt or killed in road traffic collisions in Newcastle. As it turns out, there are quite a lot of them. 
The Council say that these junctions have been identified as "problem junctions that need investment to improve efficiency and journey time reliability, as well as provide greener and more active travel choices and improving road safety." 
We know from our own measurements that there is space for separate, good quality walking and cycling provision at Haddricks Mill, but that the Council has chosen, contrary to its own policy and legal obligation to reduce air pollution, to prioritise high-speed and potentially dangerous vehicle movements instead. 
Earlier this year, Newcastle City Council updated its proposals for High West Jesmond as part of the overall Jesmond Streets for People plans. The council signalled that it was considering other options for how the budget might be used to improve walking and cycling. 
In our recent Your Street - Your Views survey of Gosforth residents, poor air quality, traffic noise and dangerous driving were the 2nd, 3rd and 4th greatest issues for Gosforth High Street. All three can be made better through a reduction in the speed limit, which the Council are now proposing. 
The Chronicle has described it as one of the most hated junctions in Tyneside and also one of Britain's most dangerous roundabouts. So why is the Council is proposing more traffic and faster speeds, and claiming against all logic that this will somehow improve safety? 
At the Your-Streets Your-Views survey feedback meeting we asked residents for ideas on how to build a better Gosforth. In particular: Opportunities for more trees and greenery.