The Government’s Cycling and Walking Investment Strategy, published in April 2017, set out an aim of making cycling and walking the natural choices for shorter journeys or as part of a longer journey. In support of that, the government is conducting a cycling and walking safety review. SPACE for Gosforth submitted the following evidence. Read more [...] Cycling and Walking Investment Strategy Safety Review
Leave a Reply
The Government’s Cycling and Walking Investment Strategy, published in April 2017, set out an aim of making cycling and walking the natural choices for shorter journeys or as part of a longer journey. In support of that, the government is conducting a cycling and walking safety review. SPACE for Gosforth submitted the following evidence. Read more [...] 
In January 2018, Newcastle City Council agreed to allow North Gosforth Parish Council the option to adopt the two stone/concrete bus shelters on the east side of the Great North Road. In the same meeting, the City Council outlined the concerns that residents had shared with them about these existing shelters and their plans to install new shelters to resolve these concerns and meet accessibility standards. 
Grandstand Road used to be one of the worst places to cycle in Gosforth, even with marked cycle lanes. With heavy traffic, often travelling in excess of the 40mph speed limit, cycle lanes barely wider than a set of handlebars and deteriorating surface, it was both scary and unforgiving.
Elections for Newcastle City Council are due to be held on 3 May 2018, with new ward boundaries as a result of the recent Local Government Boundary Review.
Gosforth is now split across four wards: Fawdon and West Gosforth, Gosforth, Dene and South Gosforth, and Parklands. Each of these new wards will be represented by three councillors and voters in each ward can vote for up to three candidates.
With lots of new faces we're keen to find out what the candidates think, in particular about 
In January 2018, SPACE for Gosforth, together with SPACE for Heaton and SPACE for Jesmond wrote to Newcastle City Council to express our concern that no cycle ways and few pavements are cleared of ice in winter, despite it being the Council's own policy to encourage people to walk and cycle more often. 
Newcastle City Council have published their final plans for the Broadway to Brunton Cycle Lane and construction is due to start soon in a series of phases to minimise disruption.
Residents' feedback showed that there was broad support, with most people agreeing with the aims of the scheme but with a number of detail points that needed addressing. In this blog we take a look at the consultation process and the changes made by the Council as a result of that feedback. 
In August 2017 some residents from Garden Village contacted SPACE for Gosforth to ask for our help in looking at how to improve their community, in particular from the perspective of ensuring the village flourished as a safe and healthy place for everyone. We were of course happy to oblige.
At the same time as we engaged with the Garden Village Residents group, Newcastle City Council published an open consultation to hear views on Salter’s Bridge. The consultation closed on 6th November 2017.
Garden 
Cycling is a healthy, low cost, low impact way of travelling but currently for many people in Gosforth it is not a viable choice. Although cycling is a relatively safe activity in itself and suitable for many everyday journeys, Gosforth's roads often feel very dangerous because they are so busy with traffic, especially at rush hour and when children are travelling to or from school.
In our post National Walking Month - May 2017 we asked you to help us document locations in Gosforth where there were issues with walking and to share ideas for how Gosforth could be improved for walking. In this post we want to do the same for cycling. 
We have just submitted a response to the North East Combined Authority (NECA) Walking and Cycling Survey on behalf of SPACE for Gosforth. NECA leads on strategic transport for the five Tyne and Wear local authorities, Durham County Council and Northumberland County Council. The survey forms part of the stakeholder consultation to inform the NECA Cycling and Walking Strategy and Implementation Plan. 
One of our members was so concerned about idling engines by his children's school - so he decided some education was needed!