Gosforth High Street - our response

In March 2023, Newcastle City Council announced that it would trial a new layout on Gosforth High Street using an Experimental Traffic Regulation Order (ETRO), with a consultation to last the first six months of the eighteen month order. This blog is to share SPACE for Gosforth’s response to that consultation.

While the Council made a number of changes, not all of these required a traffic order. The changes included in the ETRO were:

A new 7am to 7pm bus lane running north-bound from Moor Crescent to Graham Park Road.
A continuation of the bus lane running north-bound from Elmfield Road to Woodbine Road.
Double yellow lines on the east (south-bound) side from The Grove to Moorfield.
Double yellow lines on the west (north-bound) side from Moorfield to The Poplars.
No loading and unloading between 7am and 7pm on the west (north-bound) side the full length of Gosforth High Street from Moorfield to Salters Road.

The ETRO specified that the bus lanes can be used by Buses, Taxis, Motor Cycles, Pedal Cycles and other (undefined) Authorised Vehicles. The only exemptions given for the no loading / unloading restriction were universal service provider vehicles, Council bin lorries and emergency services.

The main purpose of the measures being consulted on is to increase the speed of vehicles passing through Gosforth High Street by:

enabling buses, taxis and motorcycles to undertake queuing traffic,
enabling traffic to overtake stopped buses,
prevent parked vehicles from blocking one or more traffic lanes.

The decision to prioritise speed over safety means that Gosforth High Street is not a safe pedestrian and cycling environment, despite the Council’s commitment in November 2022 that any new design would be to the “highest possible safety standards for all road users”.

Our suggestion to the Council is that it uses the remaining 12 months of the ETRO to consult on an alternative design that is safe, inclusive and supports Council policy, prioritising safe walking and cycling to get to and move around Gosforth High Street for all ages and abilities. This, rather than prioritising vehicle speeds, would better support Gosforth High Street as a shopping street and a community hub.

Dear sir / madam,

We are writing to OBJECT to the High Street, Gosforth – Experimental Bus Lanes Order and Traffic Regulation Order 2023. GH/P44/1318

Specifically, we wish to object to:

The Bus Lane northbound (nearside lane) – from Elmfield Road to Woodbine Road. This should be removed and replaced by cycle lanes that meet the Council’s LTN1/20 adopted standard for all ages and abilities to ensure they meet the requirements set out in The Equality Act 2010 (which the current layout does not achieve).
The Bus Lane northbound (nearside lane) – from 22 metres north of Moor Crescent to Graham Park Road. This should be either removed, or cycle lane defenders added to create a physical barrier between the bus and cycle lanes.

Our grounds for objecting to the ETRO are:

The reasons set out in the ETRO have not been achieved
The trial layout is not compliant with Newcastle City Council policy
The layout contradicts the LCWIP approved by Council Cabinet
The layout is not compliant with modern safety standards
It is not inclusive, excluding vulnerable and older and younger users of Gosforth High Street.
It doesn’t support customers to travel sustainably to Gosforth High Street.
It doesn’t achieve the objectives Councillors and Council leaders voted for in the November 2022 Council motion.
Safe walking and cycling routes would be a much better use of the space

Please note that we also have no wish to return to the pre-Covid layout either which was no better and would share many of the same issues and, we believe, lead to increased pollution levels similar to those recorded prior to Covid.

We suggest that instead of continuing with the current plan, the Council uses the remaining 12 months of the ETRO to consult on an alternative that is safe, inclusive and supports Council policy. This should prioritise safe walking and cycling to get to and move around Gosforth High Street for all ages and abilities.

Gosforth High Street is only approx 600m, so traffic using a single traffic lane in each direction for this distance will not significantly impact overall travel times. The Council’s previous monitoring has confirmed this to be the case.

“Journey time data, which has been collected over four years, show that there has been minimal impact on the travelling public with the traffic reduced to two lanes through the High Street.” https://www.newcastle.gov.uk/citylife-news/changes-gosforth-high-street-gets-underway

If north-bound journey time is an issue then extending the north-bound bus lane further towards Blue House roundabout or to Broadway roundabout could be better options.

Likewise, unless the Council intends to ban cycling on Gosforth High Street (which we don’t believe is possible) there will be a need to ensure the safety of people who do cycle to, along or across the High Street, and to achieve the LTN1/20 standard that the Council has formally adopted for all Highway Schemes.

In more detail…

1 The reasons given in the TRO have not been achieved

(a) “To avoid danger to persons or other traffic using the road and for preventing the likelihood of any such danger arising.” This is not achieved as the road layout requires people cycling to share a busy bus lane with heavy traffic. Specifically, it does not achieve the standards set out in LTN1/20. It has also led to vehicles switching between lanes to overtake slower traffic, higher vehicle speeds in the bus lane directly adjacent to the pavement, and an additional safety risk at the Trinity Church crossing due to buses blocking sight of the traffic lights for drivers in the north-bound general traffic lane.

(b) “support the Council’s commitment to improve public transport across the City” We have previously been informed by Council officers that there is little benefit to out-bound bus lanes. They will have little impact on journey-time reliability for most of the day and, even if required, similar journey-time reliability could be achieved with a north-bound bus lane that ends at Graham Park Road.There is also (our observation and reported by our members) practically no enforcement of the bus lane nor any way for the public to report violations of the bus lane.

2 The trial layout is not compliant with Newcastle City Council policy

Newcastle city Council adopted LTN1/20 for Highway Schemes (Oct 2022 cabinet). This scheme is not LTN1/20 compliant.

The reframing transport report restated the Council’s “ambition to introduce a walking, wheeling, and cycling network that connects every school, to every park, to every high street.” The trial layout instead creates community severance due to lack of safe opportunities to cycle across the High Street. This acts as a barrier e.g. for families living west of Gosforth High Street to visit Gosforth Central Park, or families living east of the High Street to get to Archibald First School or Newcastle School for Boys.

Section 11.12 of the Core Strategy states an intention to create ‘sustainable communities, centres and new developments where priority is given to sustainable modes of transport’ setting out the hierarchy of sustainable modes of transport. In the trial layout, the speed of public transport, freight and car traffic has been prioritised over the safety of people cycling, contrary to that hierarchy.

Section 5.1.2 of the Development and Allocations Plan (DAP) states that cycling ‘routes must be legible, inviting, direct, pleasant and easy to use.” This clearly isn’t currently the case on Gosforth High Street.

Section 5.1.5 of the DAP states “An important factor in encouraging people to walk and cycle is ensuring that key local facilities and services, such as shops, schools and public transport are easily accessible on foot and by cycle.” LTN1/20 confirms that bus lanes “do not provide an environment attractive to a wide range of people and should therefore not be regarded as inclusive.”

Appendix 2 of the DAP states that on Secondary Distributor Roads “Pedestrian and cycle movements should be segregated from traffic” and “pedestrian and cycle movement should be controlled by formalised crossing points.” While this is true for pedestrian movement, the same has not been achieved for cycle movement in the current design.

The Council’s commitment to Net Zero will require changes to maximise the use of walking and cycling for short journeys, and support residents to access local shops and services.

NB Moor Road, east of Gosforth High Street could, with some work, be made inviting, pleasant and easy to use, but it would still not be a direct route to the shops, nor would it (a) improve safety for anyone cycling on Gosforth High Street or (b) support movement around Gosforth High Street between shops and services.

The layout also conflicts with approved Council motions Greater Focus on Cycling (October 2019) and Use of eCargo Bikes (October 2021).

3 The layout contradicts the LCWIP approved by Council Cabinet

In the LCWIP, approved by Cabinet June 2021, Gosforth High Street is shown as part of the proposed city’s cycle network.

It also acknowledges that “High levels of vehicle traffic discourage people from using active and sustainable transport (either in terms of people fearing for their safety or because of delays caused to the public transport network).” The current layout will discourage people from cycling to Gosforth High Street, whereas to meet Council policy it should be encouraging more people to visit (to support Gosforth High Street as a District Centre), by more sustainable means (for better health, better access to employment opportunities on the High Street and to cut air pollution and carbon emissions).

4 The layout is not compliant with modern safety standards

The Council’s own plan emailed prior to installation confirms the Council’s understanding that the layout is not LTN1/20 compliant.

Between 7pm and 7am, the bus lane is not in force so offers no protection to anyone cycling.

Between 7am and 7pm, the bus lane is not enforced effectively so can be blocked by parked vehicles, forcing anyone cycling into the general traffic lane.

We are concerned that buses in the inside lane will block drivers’ visibility of the pedestrian crossing lights by Trinity Church. Residents have for years reported many near misses at this location caused by drivers driving through a red light.

5 It is not inclusive, excluding vulnerable and older and younger users of Gosforth High Street.

LTN1/20 states that “Cycling [and walking] should be accessible to people of all ages and abilities. The Equality Act 2010 places a duty on public sector authorities to comply with the Public Sector Equality Duty in carrying out their functions. This includes making reasonable adjustments to the existing built environment to ensure the design of new infrastructure is accessible to all.”

It goes on to say that bus lanes “do not provide an environment attractive to a wide range of people and should therefore not be regarded as inclusive. Some bus lanes also allow taxis and motorcycles to use them [as is the case on Gosforth High Street], which can signifcantly increase traffc flows, thereby acting as a deterrent to cycling while also increasing risk of conflict.” Conflict, in this scenario, could include collisions and / or injuries, most likely to the person or people cycling.
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/cycle-infrastructure-design-ltn-120

Also, it advises that advisory cycle lanes are “not be suitable for all people and will exclude some potential users and/or have safety concerns”.

Users likely to be excluded by the Council’s current design include younger and older users and disabled cyclists.

6 It doesn’t support customers to travel sustainably to Gosforth High Street.

The bus lane doesn’t help customers travelling from east, west or north of Gosforth, where the vast majority of customers will live. Few will arrive from the south by bus because the Town Moor creates a natural barrier, and most people living immediately north of the Town Moor but south of the shopping area are within a 15 minute walk of the High Street so are less likely to use a bus.

The layout has not enabled any additional sustainable transport options compared to previous layouts. Prior to Covid there were 48 buses per hour using the High Street in each direction. This number will not have increased due to the new trial layout. The maximum desired frequency in the Transport North East Bus Service Improvement Plan is one bus every 5-10 minutes or 6-12 per hour in each direction, substantially less than on Gosforth High Street. The plan says to make bus services “more comprehensive, with overprovision on a few corridors reduced to boost provision elsewhere”, suggesting the Council’s strategy is to reduce bus frequency on Gosforth High Street in order to increase coverage elsewhere. To ensure these current bus journeys remain sustainable, some of those journeys will have to be made by walking or cycling in future.

While we do support quicker bus journey times and increased punctuality and reliability, these should not be achieved by putting other road users in greater danger.

More people can get to Gosforth High Street in 15 minutes cycling than by any other sustainable travel mode. Our estimate is that approximately three times more people could get to Gosforth High Street in 15 minutes cycling than can do so by bus, and many of those 15 minute bus journeys could be walked in a similar time. Cycling is the only sustainable transport mode where everyone who lives closer to Gosforth High Street than another District Centre can get to the High Street in under 15 minutes.

The trial layout does not support cycling to Gosforth High Street nor movement within the High Street between shops when people get there.

Two benefits of cycling for the user are speed and ability to carry heavier loads than if walking. These benefits are both lost if people are required to park their cycles away from the shops they want to visit rather than being able to move freely (and safely) between shops.

7 It doesn’t achieve the objectives Councillors and Council leaders voted for in the November 2022 Council motion.

The new layout

doesn’t improve options for customers to get to or move around the High Street
doesn’t meet current (let along ‘highest’) safety standards
hasn’t enabled any new low-carbon travel options
has done nothing to enhance green infrastructure
appears to ignore (rather than align with) previous engagement with residents, local Councillors and business owners.

8 Safe walking and cycling routes would be a much better use of the space

Cllr Byrne is quoted in a May 2023 Council news article as saying ‘development of a new cycle lane, new pedestrian crossings, changes to traffic access on a number of side roads and the installation of secure cycle parking facilities’ on Elswick Road is
(a) ‘fantastic news for residents in this area of the city, which is going to benefit from a significant investment to provide high quality and safer cycling and walking routes.’
(b) As well as helping people get to schools, shops and other local facilities, this will also open up opportunities to access jobs and training and will enable more people to enjoy and feel confident about active travel.
(c) “The new cycle lane will also link up with existing routes helping to further extend our cycling network across the city.
(d) ‘We want everyone in Newcastle to be able to choose and benefit from active travel. This leads to better physical and mental health; stronger, connected communities and a better, more sustainable environment for future generations’

These same benefits could be achieved on Gosforth High Street if safe walking and cycling routes are prioritised to get to and move between shops on the High Street. These benefits would be 24/7 unlike time saved on bus journeys which will mostly only occur in the evening peak and even then will make only marginal difference to overall journey times.

Safe cycling routes also support micro-mobility like the Neuron eScooters.

Additionally, the DfT report “The Value of Cycling” found (amongst many other benefits) that:

Cyclists visit local shops more regularly, spending more than users of most other modes of transport
Per square metre, cycle parking delivers 5 times higher retail spend than the same area of car parking
A compact town optimised for walking and cycling can have a “retail density” (spend per square metre) 2.5 times higher than a typical urban centre.
Public realm improvements, including those that cater for cycling, have been shown to result in increased trade at local businesses; up to 49% in New York City

Value of Cycling report: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/509587/value-of-cycling.pdf

Suggested approach

Some examples of what could be considered include:

Safe cycling facilities usable by all ages and abilities both along and to the High Street.
Declutter the pavement and trial removing the black bollards which take up over half a metre of pavement space on each side.
Reduce pedestrian crossing wait times, and ensure that there is sufficient time for people to cross.
Pedestrianise side street-ends so people walking along the High Street have priority over turning vehicles in line with the new Highway Code.
Reduce non-local traffic using streets either side of the High Street to make it safer and more pleasant for people to walk or cycle to Gosforth High Street.
Look for opportunities to improve the pedestrian environment e.g. for street cafes, planting or benches, including at ends of side streets.
Extend the 20mph zone north past Gosforth Academy, west past Gosforth Junior Academy and south to the Little Moor.

We included some further ideas in our email of 9 August 2023 [published in our blog Gosforth High Street – Small Changes].

Kind regards,

SPACE for Gosforth

References – SPACE for Gosforth blogs
Gosforth High Street – Safety Concerns
Gosforth High Street has been designed like a bypass rather than a shopping destination
Gosforth High Street – Good Policy, Terrible Plan
We still love Gosforth High Street
Your Streets – Your Views – Gosforth High Street
A Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plan for Gosforth