Station Road – May 2022

Residents have reported high volumes of motor traffic and delays on Station Road, with this often being attributed to the effect of closing a number of minor roads to through traffic in 2020. In this blog we take another look at local traffic count data to see what is going on.

Closing local bridges – Recap

In May 2022, we looked at traffic levels on Station Road after local bridges were closed to through traffic. We found that traffic levels on Station Road did not increase after local bridges were closed to traffic, and in fact stayed at a similar level to 2018, as shown in the graph below.

Traffic Volumes on Station Road, measured 30m west of Bowsden Terrace – Data Extract May 2022

Traffic levels remained similar right up to March 2022, the latest month we had data for at the time, 19 months from when the bridges were closed in August 2020 and 12 months from when schools reopened (and traffic fully returned to normal) following Covid lockdowns in March 2021.

What happened then?

Now we have another year of data and we can see traffic levels on Station Road did increase after April 2022, by up to 10% in some months. This is shown on the red line (2022) and higher blue line (2023) in the graph below.

Traffic Volumes on Station Road, measured 30m west of Bowsden Terrace – Data Extract May 2023

In November 2022, traffic levels on Station Road were extremely high, averaging 18,525 vehicles per day over the month.

Why did traffic increase?

If the bridges were to have an effect it would most likely have been immediately after they were closed to traffic i.e. August/September 2020, and not at some random time over two years later, and they wouldn’t explain the unusually high traffic levels in November 2022.

One explanation could be overall growth in traffic, and consequently growth in traffic jams, aided by the Government’s fuel duty freeze. Since the start of the freeze in 2010 up to 2019, miles driven in Newcastle increased by nearly 7%, but again this would not explain the unusually high traffic levels in November 2022.

There was a local traffic ‘event’ in the autumn of 2022 – emergency roadworks for gas repairs on Jesmond Dene Road. These works lasted from May to December 2022, with the main works (and greatest disruption) between 24 October and 2 December.

A189 Jesmond Dene Road, reports of failed temp traffic signals at the junction of Moorfield for the works being carried out by @NGNgas #Newcastle pic.twitter.com/9roIBPVP0k

— North East Live Traffic (@NELiveTraffic) November 29, 2022

Between 4 – 14 November Jesmond Dene Road was closed to all traffic at the junction with Moorfield.

https://twitter.com/NewcastleCC/status/1588573686000394240

We reported at the time that Google Live Traffic was showing heavy traffic on The Grove and, to a lesser extent, Ilford Road. The maps in the tweets below also show slow moving traffic on Station Road.

Google Live Traffic shows lots of driving on residential streets. We need low traffic neighbourhoods so that main road traffic stays on the main road network. pic.twitter.com/rWFzwKLdS8

— space for gosforth (@space4gosforth) November 7, 2022

Residents of The Grove also reported traffic was very busy, as well as higher noise levels and a collision as a result of the additional traffic.

Comment on Gosforth Traffic Facebook 11 November 2022

Traffic using The Grove as an alternative route would have been picked up by the Station Road traffic counter, explaining the increase in traffic levels between May and December. We can see from weekly traffic counts that the most traffic on Station Road was the week where Jesmond Dene Road was closed completely (7 November).

Displaced traffic

We also have traffic volumes for Haddricks Mill Road for the same period. The graph below shows that, from the start of roadworks in May 2022, there is a corresponding reduction in traffic levels on Haddricks Mill Road.

This may come as a surprise to residents of Haddricks Mill Road, for whom this whole period (apart from when the road was fully closed) was marked by continual traffic jams due to the road works.

This is to be expected though, as a temporary reduction in road capacity caused by temporary traffic lights will cause both traffic jams and a reduction in traffic volumes on the affected roads as some people take alternative routes.

Total gridlock (and CO2 galore) outside our homes EVERY morning in #SouthGosforth. I guess it makes a change from the dangerous speeding… @NewcastleCC any plans to address?? This isn’t sustainable. pic.twitter.com/iwiPrByUf6

— Ciara Small (@SmallWorldNE) May 24, 2022

This contrasts with permanent or longer-term road capacity reductions where it has been found that “significant reductions in overall traffic levels can occur, with people making a far wider range of behavioural responses than has traditionally been assumed“. This is why traffic changes are often trialled over a 6-18 month period, and why other long-term local road closures have shown no increase in traffic volumes on parallel roads.

Following completion of the road works, traffic counts also show that Haddricks Mill Road traffic levels didn’t immediately return to where they were, taking until March 2022 to return to previous levels.

Conclusion

• Traffic levels did increase on Station Road in 2022, up to about 10%, with a corresponding decrease on Haddricks Mill Road. The most likely reason for this was the road works on Jesmond Dene Road.
• Some of the traffic that would have used Haddricks Mill Road rerouted to use Station Road via The Grove. Roads east of Stoneyhurst Bridge remained largely traffic-free.
• This contrasts starkly with previous local road closures. No additional traffic was recorded on parallel routes following Stoneyhurst Road, Castle Farm Road or Killingworth Road closures. This may be because the roadworks on Jesmond Dene Road were announced with very short notice, and were only for a short period, so people weren’t able to or didn’t feel the need to adjust.
• Traffic using The Grove instead of Jesmond Dene Road will have created additional delay for people travelling by car/bus from Gosforth High Street to Haddricks Mill.
• Where there is short-term disruption, traffic will divert via whatever routes are available. While these routes are open to through-traffic, neither residents nor people wishing to walk or cycle away from heavy traffic can rely on them remaining low-traffic routes.
• Traffic levels on Station Road and Haddricks Mill Road appear to be returning to closer to historical (still very busy) levels since March 2023, however while motoring is relatively cheap compared to public transport and there is a lack of safe cycling routes, traffic levels are likely to continue to rise. Higher levels of traffic contribute to increased pollution, carbon emissions and danger for other road users, much more than localised congestion.

Reference – Other Traffic Reports

• Temporary traffic lights due to gas main work and roadworks on A189 Jesmond Dene Road at Moorfield – May 2022.
• Temporary traffic lights due to gas main work on A189 Matthew Bank at Jesmond Dene Road – September 2022
• Temporary traffic lights due to gas main work on A189 Jesmond Dene Road at Moorfield –  December 2022

The post Station Road traffic went up – what happened? appeared first on SPACE for Gosforth.

Looking south down Haddricks Mill Road – Photo from Tyne and Wear UTMC

In our last blog we looked at traffic levels on Station Road. We found that neither Station Road nor Sandy Lane were busier or more congested following the closure of Stoneyhurst and Salters bridges.

In this blog we assess the impact of Haddricks Mill roadworks and closing Dene Bridge to motor vehicles.

Just like for Stoneyhurst Road and Salters Bridge, a large proportion of people who responded to the Dene Bridge consultation thought that it would result in displaced traffic and additional congestion on surrounding roads.

Dene Bridge Closure: Main Themes from ETRO Correspondence

Key Points

Traffic levels on Haddricks Mill Road are now back to (but not higher than) pre-2017 levels. This suggests that closing Dene Bridge to motor traffic hasn’t led to additional traffic on Haddricks Mill Road.

While the roadworks were clearly inconvenient to many, they had some positive side effects of fewer injuries, reduced traffic levels on Haddricks Mill Road and most likely a substantial, though temporary, cut in carbon emissions from less driving.

Traffic levels and air pollution measurements on Station Road (measured at the entrance to Haddricks Mill roundabout) remained high during the roadworks, but did reduce in 2020 due to Covid.

What has changed?

Three major changes have been implemented.

1. Between 2017 and 2019, Killingworth Road and the Metro bridge were widened allowing the addition of a bus lane and separate cycle path.
2. During 2020, Haddricks Mill roundabouts were moved slightly to increase traffic throughput. New traffic lights have a dual function of helping people cross, and controlling traffic flow to prioritise the busiest vehicle routes. Pavements have been widened and made to be shared between people walking and cycling.
3. From August 2020, Dene Bridge on Castles Farm Road can no longer be used by motor traffic, but can be used by people walking or cycling.

The locations of these changes are shown on the map below.

Roadworks timeline

The new Haddricks Mill junction was completed in the summer of 2020, marking the end of three years of roadworks at Haddricks Mill and on Killingworth Road.

• January 2017 – Northern Gas Networks (NGN) carry out initial exploratory work
• July 2017 – Killingworth Road and Salters Bridge close to traffic
• May 2019 – Killingworth Road opens southbound
• July 2019 – Killingworth Road open in both directions
• October 2019 – Salters Bridge re-opens to traffic
• October – December 2019 – Single lane operation on Killingworth Road
• November 2019 – Drivers warned on Salters Bridge
• February 2020 – Resurfacing works Haddricks Mill
• March 2020 –  Further warnings issued on Salters Bridge
• July 2020 – Resurfacing Haddricks Mill
• August 2020 – Castles Farm Road closes to motor traffic

Haddricks Mill Road Traffic

It is clear that the roadworks had a substantial effect on traffic on Haddricks Mill Road. Almost as soon as Killingworth Road was closed, traffic levels on Haddricks Mill Road dropped from about 17,500 vehicles per day down to 12,000 – 14,000. This is shown on the graph below.

While there are some big gaps in the data between 2018 and 2020, the counts we have remained low until mid-2021.

As carbon emissions are correlated with total miles driven, this is also likely to have temporarily reduced overall carbon emissions from traffic.

Since July 2021, traffic levels have been back where they were before 2017, but no higher. This suggests that closing Dene Bridge to motor vehicles has not caused any extra traffic on Haddricks Mill Road.

This is consistent with traffic counts that showed there was no increase in traffic on Station Road when Salters Bridge and Stoneyhurst Road were closed to motor traffic. We also previously found that traffic did not increase on either Great North Road or on Benton Lane after Killingworth Road was closed for roadworks.

These are all examples of ‘disappearing traffic’.

Haddricks Mill junction from Killingworth Road

Road Safety

Using the TADU Road Safety dashboard we counted injuries due to traffic collisions at Haddricks Mill junction. Between 2005 and 2016, there were 12.4 injuries on average per year making this one of the most dangerous junctions in the NE.

In 2018 and 2019 there were only two injuries in total, and only two in 2017.

The number of injuries remained lower in 2020 and 2021, which might be due to there being less traffic due to Covid, or possibly the changes the Council believed would improve safety at the junction are having an effect.

In 2019, we wrote to the Council to express our concerns that the new junction would not reduce collisions as (a) cycle routes were too slow and wiggly so people who already cycled would most likely continue to use the road, (b) multiple entry lanes are known to make roundabouts less safe, and (c) high corner radii mean vehicles can enter and exit the roundabout at a higher speed.

The new pavement, cycle lane and bus lane on Killingworth Road

Air Pollution

With traffic back to pre-2017 levels, and no obvious mitigations to reduce pollution in place, we remain concerned that pollution will return to previous levels.

Fears pollution levels will be dangerously high again at controversial Killingworth Roadhttps://t.co/eAJBUIAUOb

— The Chronicle (@ChronicleLive) June 4, 2019

There are two sites where Nitrogen Dioxide (NO₂) air pollution is monitored near Haddricks Mill. These are at the end of Station Road and by Dene Park House on Killingworth Road.

The graph above shows that the road works had little effect on air pollution on Station Road. This is perhaps not surprising as traffic levels on Station Road were fairly constant throughout.

While pollution wasn’t measured on Killingworth Road between 2018 and 2020, almost certainly it would have been much lower due to the complete absence of traffic. Pollution measurements for 2021 should be released in the autumn.

Summary

• Traffic has returned to 2016 levels now that the Haddricks Mill and Killingworth Road roadworks have finished.
• The roadworks had a positive side-effect in that, between 2017 and 2020, fewer people were injured in road traffic collisions and there was a temporary reduction in carbon emissions.
• Pollution levels, where measured, were largely unchanged due to the roadworks.
• Consistent with what we found for Salters Bridge and Stoneyhurst Road, closing Dene Bridge to motor traffic did not lead to any additional traffic on Haddricks Mill Road.

The post Haddricks Mill – Return of the Traffic appeared first on SPACE for Gosforth.

Church Avenue, Gosforth, just west of Station Road

Newcastle City Council confirmed in February, following an eighteen-month trial and six-month consultation, that the arrangements at Stoneyhurst, Dene and Salters Bridges would be made permanent to help make local streets safer, cut carbon emissions from driving and promote active travel.

The map below shows the location of Salters and Stoneyhurst Road bridges and average annual daily traffic levels on Station Road between 2013 and 2021. Both bridges were closed to motor traffic in August 2020. Salters Bridge was previously closed to traffic during the Killingworth Road roadworks between July 2017 and October 2019.

Station Road traffic count shows 2021 was lower than all years other than 2016 and 2020.

One of the main concerns raised by people responding to the Council consultation was that (they believed) these closures would lead to “displaced traffic / congestion”. We now have nineteen months of traffic data since August 2020 that shows traffic levels on Station Road and Sandy Lane (north of Gosforth Racecourse) are broadly unchanged from previous years.

Station Road and Sandy Lane are neither busier nor more congested following closure of the bridges. Meanwhile Hollywood Avenue and Stoneyhurst Road have much less traffic.

Traffic Volumes on Station Road, measured 30m west of Bowsden Terrace

This is one reason why the Council could “set aside” any objections due to displaced traffic, as there simply isn’t any evidence of additional traffic on adjacent main roads. The Council needs to share this information so people commenting on future LTN consultations better understand the likely impact on traffic in their local area.

Even if traffic levels had increased on Station Road (which didn’t happen), there still wouldn’t be a good case for using Stoneyhurst Road or Hollywood Avenue as overflows for ‘displaced’ main-road traffic, as these minor roads are neither intended nor designed for high levels of vehicle traffic. 

Despite this, the Council was still (in our view unfairly) accused of “ignoring” residents’ views. Clearly there is still a need for education so that people more widely understand how traffic reacts (and has reacted) to road changes. Local Councillors and community groups could help with this, and reduce community tensions, by sharing facts and relevant information in local leaflets. 

This effect of “disappearing traffic” is well known and understood by traffic professionals. Researchers looking at over 70 case studies found that “predictions of traffic problems are often unnecessarily alarmist, and that, given appropriate local circumstances, significant reductions in overall traffic levels can occur, with people making a far wider range of behavioural responses than has traditionally been assumed.“

Station Road looking towards South Gosforth Metro with longstanding “modal filter” at the end of Church Road

While the traffic levels on Station Road will have benefited from more home-working and people travelling less due to fuel costs, the study shows that “disappearing traffic” would happen even without these.

We can conclude that the bridge closures have helped to reduce traffic levels locally in Gosforth and have contributed towards the necessary 20-50% reduction in miles driven by 2030 to help achieve net zero targets.

That doesn’t mean that traffic levels on Station Road are ok. Just like before 2019, it still has high levels of traffic making it hard to cross and dangerous to cycle. These could be mitigated, for example with additional crossings and protected cycle lanes. The east end of Station Road is also part of the South Gosforth Air Quality Management Area and in 2016, before Killingworth Road roadworks, pollution measurements exceeded the legal limit. 

If you live on the A191 – Church Road, Church Avenue or Station Road, or other main roads around Gosforth – please let us know what you think could be done to cut traffic and/or make the road safer.

Further information is provided below about feedback to Newcastle City Council’s Stoneyhurst Road and Salters Bridge consultations, and on traffic levels on Station Road and Sandy Lane. 

Stoneyhurst Bridge closure: main themes from ETRO correspondence

Main feedback themes – Support

• Walking / cycling shift enabled – 13% of responses*
• Pedestrian and cyclist safety improved – 12%
• Reduced traffic / air pollution – 11%

Main feedback themes – Opposition

• Displaced traffic / congestion – 72% of responses*
• Road access needed – 48%
• Longer journeys – 15%
• Discriminatory – 13%

* NB there was no geographical restriction on who could respond, nor any limit on the number of responses per person. 

As we have said, traffic levels on Station Road and Sandy Lane did not increase. Road access for vehicles was retained to all properties. We have also previously looked at journey lengths and our analysis was that very few journeys would be noticeably longer as a result of this change. 

The Council’s Integrated Impact Assessment says “data does not indicate an impact on the operation of the wider highway network from any of the bridge closures to vehicles to indicate that they need to be reopened to alleviate this issue. Despite having been closed, (even when three bridges impact on the same surrounding highways), those highways have not seen significant differences in journey times or speeds.“

The fact that traffic in Newcastle grew by 14% between 2010 and 2019, which has never been the subject of consultation, is much more likely to have negatively impacted journey times.

Salters Bridge closure: main themes from ETRO correspondence

Main feedback themes – Support

• Reduced traffic / air pollution – 46% of responses
• Pedestrian and cyclist safety improved – 45%
• Walking / cycling shift enabled – 38% 

Main feedback themes – Opposition

• Displaced traffic / congestion – 36% of responses
• Increased air pollution – 35%
• Longer journeys – 33%
• Impact on local businesses – 30%

As there is no additional traffic, there is no reason to think air pollution will be any worse on Station Road as a result of these changes. There is substantial evidence that investing in active travel benefits local businesses, for example this report from Transport for London or our blog Can protected cycle lanes be good for business? 

Station Road, looking towards Haddricks Mill

Traffic Volumes – Station Road 

Traffic Volumes on A191 Station Road, Gosforth, measured 30m west of Bowsden Terrace

The graph above shows that traffic volumes in 2021 and 2022 are largely unchanged compared to 2018 and 2019. These traffic volumes are also largely unchanged from 2013-2017.

Traffic Volumes – Sandy Lane 

Traffic Volumes on A1056 Sandy Lane, Gosforth, measured east of the MOT station.

Traffic on Sandy Lane in 2021 and 2022 is also unchanged from 2018 and 2019.

Reports setting out the Council’s decisions for each of the five bridges are published here:

• Argyle St – https://democracy.newcastle.gov.uk/ieDecisionDetails.aspx?ID=10801
• Haldane – https://democracy.newcastle.gov.uk/ieDecisionDetails.aspx?ID=10799
• Dene Bridge / Castle Farm Rd – https://democracy.newcastle.gov.uk/ieDecisionDetails.aspx?ID=10798
• Stoneyhurst – https://democracy.newcastle.gov.uk/ieDecisionDetails.aspx?ID=10802
• Salters Bridge- https://democracy.newcastle.gov.uk/ieDecisionDetails.aspx?ID=10800

Further information on low traffic neighbourhoods In Newcastle can be found at https://www.newcastle.gov.uk/neighbourhoods

https://twitter.com/SustransNorth/status/1527581684769644545

The post Station Road Traffic appeared first on SPACE for Gosforth.

It is now over eighteen months since wands were installed on Gosforth High Street as part of the Council’s response to Covid. This blog looks beyond the look and feel of the wands, focusing instead on their impact on traffic volumes, air pollution and road safety, and suggests specific actions that could be taken to help the High Street thrive in future.

Key Points

• Traffic volumes in 2021 were 15% lower than in 2018 and 2019.
• Less traffic means reduced noise and lower carbon emissions.
• Air quality measurements (where we have them) show a slight improvement.
• Road safety is improved.
• There are opportunities for future improvements if the single-lane layout is retained. This should include replacing the temporary wands with high quality permanent materials.

A Bit of History

Pollution, safety, noise and congestion have long been concerns on Gosforth High Street.

At SPACE for Gosforth’s launch event in September 2015, we asked local residents what they thought about Gosforth High Street. The answer was that “We love Gosforth High Street, but …”

On the plus side, people listed the High Street’s role as a community hub, with good quality independent shops, pubs and restaurants. The list of “buts” was longer: noise, pollution, too much traffic, not feeling safe, parking, “Too much concrete, not enough green’’.

In 2019, we ran a Gosforth-wide survey and the answers were much the same, which we wrote up in our blog Your Streets – Your Views – Gosforth High Street. Too much traffic, poor air quality and noise were the top three concerns.

DEFRA have estimated that pollution, congestion, carbon emissions, traffic collisions, lack of physical activity (because high levels of traffic stop people walking and cycling) and noise, cost the UK billions of pounds each year. We wrote about this in our blog Billion Pound Issues on Gosforth High Street.

Traffic Volumes

At the end of 2021 traffic volumes were 15% lower than in 2018 and 2019. This is despite the ongoing roadworks on the A1 and warnings in late 2020 that across the city traffic levels were back to pre-pandemic levels and could get worse.

Less traffic is generally a good thing. It means safer streets, less pollution, less carbon emissions and less noise, making it more pleasant (or at least less unpleasant) for people to stop and shop on the High Street. Moving vehicles away from the pavement to a single lane in towards the middle of the road further reduces noise levels for people shopping on the High Street.

Average Daily Traffic by Month and Year 2018-2021, on Gosforth High Street

Air Pollution

Air pollution levels improved dramatically in 2020, mirroring the reduction in vehicle traffic. The graph below shows pollution levels at the north end of Gosforth High Street by Woodbine Road, usually the most polluted part of the High Street. In 2020, all measurements on Gosforth High Street were within legal limits. Air pollution measurements for 2021 haven’t yet been published.

Traffic volumes in 2021 were similar to late 2020 so it is possible air pollution levels will have remained just under the legal limit. This would be substantially better than previous years, including 2017 when Gosforth High Street was the most polluted street in Newcastle.

Air pollution levels measured at the north end of Gosforth High Street

If air pollution measurements in 2021 are less than the legal limit, the Council would be bound by the Air Quality Standards Regulations 2010 to “ensure that [pollution] levels are maintained below those limit values” in future.

Road Safety

There have been substantially fewer road traffic collisions on Gosforth High Street since the wands were introduced. The bar chart below shows recorded collisions between Elmfield Road and Regent Centre before and after the wands were installed.

Road Traffic Collisions on Gosforth High Street before and after the wands were installed.

The one serious injury in 2021 was by Regent Centre where a ten year old boy was struck by a driver in a Land Rover. This was in the section with two lanes heading north and a 30mph speed limit. SPACE for Gosforth has previously proposed the 20mph speed limit is extended north to past Gosforth Academy to be safer for school children crossing the road.

Opportunities

Returning to the pre-pandemic layout would be a significant backwards step, making Gosforth High Street more dangerous, more polluted and increasing carbon emissions.

Safety could be further improved by extending the single-lane 20mph layout to north of Gosforth Academy, and by setting vehicle lanes to be no wider than 3m.

The look and feel could be improved by replacing the temporary wands with high quality materials similar to the Grey Street proposals, including planters where there is space.

Continuous all age & ability protected cycle lanes & cycle parking would increase the people-moving capacity of the High Street and make it safer and easier for people to cycle to the shops. Most of Gosforth, Kenton, Jesmond and High Heaton are within a 15 minutes cycle ride of Gosforth High Street.

Decluttering the pavements, adding more planting and benches, and creating a continuous pavements over side roads would make the High Street more accessible and more pleasant to use on foot. With cycle lanes added, the existing bollards on the pavement could be removed adding 60cm to the width of the pavements.

Crossings by Regent Centre could be improved by removing the central ‘sheep pen’ so people walking can cross in one go. We have also previously proposed moving the crossing by Elmfield Road 70m south to be between Elmfield Road & The Grove.

Street ends could be pedestrianised like by Woodbine Road to create additional space for events or for more seats or planting. For example, Trinity Square could be extended across West Avenue and/or Ivy Road.

Even with these changes, there would still be a vast amount of space allocated to vehicles on and around Gosforth High Street. Some consideration could be given to whether this could be put to better use, either temporarily, for example for a street market, or more permanently.

Google Earth picture showing the huge area taken up by vehicles on or near Gosforth High Street

The post We still love Gosforth High Street appeared first on SPACE for Gosforth.

In March 2020, the Secretary of State for Transport said “Public transport and active travel will be the natural first choice for our daily activities. We will use our cars less and be able to rely on a convenient, cost-effective and coherent public transport network.”

This begs the question how much less will we use our cars?

This is important because, based on recent studies, the shift from petrol and diesel to electric vehicles will not be sufficient for the UK to reach net zero emissions by 2050.

Key Points

• Based on Transport for the North analysis, road transport emissions will need to be 56% lower in 2030 compared to 2018, and 96% lower by 2040, to achieve net zero by 2050.
• A substantial > 20% and potentially up to 50%, reduction in vehicle miles driven is needed across the UK by 2030 to achieve these reductions.
• Reductions will need to be greater in urban areas where there are more viable alternatives to driving than in the countryside.
• National UK transport budgets are still based on a forecast that traffic will grow between 17% and 51% by 2050, relative to 2015, increasing CO₂ emissions by millions of tonnes.
• To achieve its target of net zero by 2030, Newcastle City Council will need to set a target for traffic reduction and act quickly to reduce miles driven and enable alternative low-carbon options for travelling like walking, cycling and zero-carbon public transport.

Traffic Reduction and Carbon Budgets

Many transport organisations across the UK are looking at how to support the UK target to achieve Net Zero by 2050 and limit global warming to 1.5°C. We have previously responded to consultations from Newcastle City Council, Transport for the North East and Transport for the North.

A key concept in achieving net zero is the carbon budget. This is the maximum total CO₂ emissions possible while still limiting global warming to 1.5°C. At 1.5°C there would still be “increasing heatwaves, more intense storms, and more serious droughts and floods, but would represent a much smaller risk than 2°C.”

Transport for the North have determined a Decarbonisation Trajectory that says how much of the transport carbon budget can be emitted each year up to 2050 and still meet the 1.5°C target. This shows that not only does the UK need to achieve net zero by 2050, but it also needs substantial short-term reductions in transport emissions, about 56% from 2018 by 2030.

Our Decarbonisation #Trajectory with the shape of the curve being dictated by a series of interim #emissions reduction milestones that ensure a rate of progress towards a #ZeroEemissions #transport system by 2050.

Discover more on #Decarbonisation https://t.co/QjuMSKIovN pic.twitter.com/18rV81E3Np

— Transport for the North (@Transport4North) December 10, 2021

Much of this 56% reduction will be achieved via the transition from petrol and diesel to electric vehicles. The remainder will need to be from switching journeys from driving to walking, cycling and public transport.

CREDS, the Centre for Research into Energy Demand Solutions say that “There are no future scenarios in which the UK can meet its carbon reduction milestones over the next two decades whilst car traffic is allowed to grow.” and that “This is true even if electric vehicle uptake is massively accelerated.” They also say that “plans to build more road capacity … will be a waste of resources in the face of the necessity of lower traffic growth.”

In it’s Review of Energy Policy 2021 the UK Energy Research Centre (UKERC) concluded that “a 30-50% reduction in car kilometres is needed by 2030, relative to 2020, to meet the UK’s 6th Carbon Budget.” (Link to the report)

Other UK cities and regions have produced similar analyses:

• The Scottish Government have determined a 20% reduction in kilometres is needed by 2030, relative to 2019, to meet Scotland’s net zero target by 2045.
• Transport for London have concluded that to meet climate change targets, car traffic must reduce by at least 27% in London by the end of this decade.
• The Welsh Government has announced a freeze on new road building and a commitment to reduce overall car miles by 10% by 2030.
• Transport for the West Midlands has estimated that a reduction of car mileage by approximately 58% between 2020 and 2031 will be required.
• Glasgow City Council is planning to cut car use by 30% by 2030.
• Get one in four cars off the roads by 2030, say Oxfordshire County Council

Transport Quality of Life have looked at these figures in a report concluding that climate targets won’t be met unless the UK significantly reduces traffic over the next ten years, and concludes that “Cars, which are the main source of transport carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions, will have to achieve even greater emissions reductions by 2030 to compensate for the road freight, maritime and aviation sectors where technological solutions are some way off.”

To a large extent the reduction required will be dependent on the speed of uptake of Electric Vehicles, which itself will be dependent on future availability and affordability of EVs. Green Alliance, an independent think tank and charity focused on environment has produced a report outlining a number of different scenarios showing fast, medium and slow uptake of EVs and what reduction in miles driven would be required as a result.

We’re aiming to reduce the number of kilometres travelled by car in Scotland by 20% by 2030.

That requires a big modal shift in how people travel, so we’re investing in a greener, decarbonised public transport network.#ScotBudget | #LetsDoNetZero pic.twitter.com/EXCjuTB1jf

— Transport Scotland (@transcotland) December 13, 2021

Update October 2023 – France follows Wales in stopping major road projects. 

France just followed Wales in stopping major road projects, viewing public transport investment as the future.

Meanwhile @Keir_Starmer lauds road-building as "Britain's future" at Labour conference, just as climate breakdown accelerates. Some dream.https://t.co/rnyN7muNnQ https://t.co/YAOf6ncByS

— Rafe Smyth (@safemyth) October 10, 2023

Update November 2023 – New report says “Electric vehicles are not enough to meet net zero”

The report, a collaboration between University of Leeds, Stantec, DecarboN8, Transport for the North (TfN), Transport for Greater Manchester and Bury Council, Newcastle University and the University of Lancaster, finds that “A reduction in travel by car, or equivalent, of at least 20%, (30% for DD), is required by 2030 to meet surface transport net zero”

The Bridging the Gap report is an excellent piece of collaborative work and we're proud to have been part of it.

The research by @Stantec and @N8Decarbo suggests people and place considerations are crucial if we are to meet #TransportDecarbonisation targets. https://t.co/iTWDA97EIF

— Transport for the North (@Transport4North) November 23, 2023

The Office of Budget Responsibility has also reduced its forecast of EV uptake from 67% of market share by 2027 to 38%. This is already factored it in to the Reverse Gear report on
CREDS UK website. This report shows that “pathways that achieve the Government’s aim on electrification could still be consistent with the CCC’s Balanced Pathway if a 20% reduction in road traffic levels were also to be achieved by 2030 relative to current plans.”

Rural vs Urban

In 2020, driving on rural roads was about 165 billion vehicle miles vs 115 billion on urban roads, a total of 280 billion. This is down from 357 billion miles in 2019. A further 30-50% reduction by 2030 would mean cutting this by 84 and 140 billion miles – more than the entire amount currently driven in urban areas.

From: Road traffic estimates in Great Britain: 2020

While some of this reduction will have to come from rural areas, the majority will have to be from urban areas where there are more viable alternatives to car travel.

Fortunately, the principle of traffic reduction is very popular with the public and seen as a priority. Unfortunately the details of making it happen in practice are much more challenginghttps://t.co/OnwVA5aKwX
11/n pic.twitter.com/C69dRZvpZJ

— Leo Murray @[email protected] (@crisortunity) November 28, 2021

The obvious priority is short journeys in urban areas. In the North East 37% of car journeys are under 5km (3 miles) and many of those could easily be walked or cycled.

Did you know that 37% of North East car journeys are under 5KM in distance?

Imagine the difference we could make to the environment if we swopped even 5% of those journeys to walking or cycling!

Use our cycling and walking maps to plan your routes: https://t.co/2D1kgvTfzY pic.twitter.com/Ed3Na2bmV0

— Go Smarter Go Active (@Go_smarterNE) November 27, 2021

Across the North as a whole, Transport for the North say “Just under 90% of car trips are under 10 kilometres.” 10km cycling takes about 30 minutes where there there are safe, direct routes, potentially quicker if using an e-Bike.

Investment is urgently required to reallocate road space currently used for vehicle traffic to public transport and to create a network of safe walking and cycling routes. Based on the analyses we have shared in this blog, these investments need to happen quickly and at a large scale right across the city.

Where’s the Money?

The UK’s Road Investment Strategy and associated budgets are still based on forecasts of increasing vehicle miles driven, completely the opposite to what is needed to meet the UK’s net zero targets.

A new Government commissioned report on ‘Union Connectivity, predicts a 51% increase in road traffic volumes, between 2015 and 2050.https://t.co/HhIzUoDt0c pic.twitter.com/yqHoQ2X7RF

— APPG for Cycling & Walking (@APPGCW) November 26, 2021

These increasing forecasts are based on a 2018 Department for Transport report saying “Traffic in England and Wales is forecast to increase across all scenarios, but the size of that growth depends on the assumptions made about the key drivers of future road demand. From 2015 traffic is forecast to grow by between 17% and 51% by 2050.” (paragraph 13)

To a large extent, what actually happens will be the result of government policy. The 51% increase quoted in the recent “Union Connectivity Review” assumes no tax additional tax on electric vehicles or road pricing, i.e. driving will remain much cheaper for drivers of electric vehicles. If the Government does apply a tax to vehicle journeys, to reverse the long-term trend where driving has become much cheaper than public transport, that should substantially reduce demand for driving.

The Government could, rather than spending £27 billion on building more roads, instead invest that in walking, cycling and public transport in support of its Net Zero target.

As well as benefiting the environment and public health, this would benefit the economy by reducing the cost of travel. The Scotsman reported that individual savings from cycling are equivalent to a 8% pay rise.

A local Dutch supermarket showing cycle parking for customers and a traffic-free cycle path

What’s Next?

Nationally, it is likely the Government will look seriously at road pricing to replace Fuel Duty and discourage excessive vehicle travel.

Newcastle City Council needs to move even more quickly to achieve net zero by 2030, and needs to set out plans for how to reduce miles driven and achieve mode-shift targets. 

Confirmation that local bridges will remain open for walking and cycling, but not vehicle traffic, is a great start. Achieving the required reduction in vehicle use will need more changes like these, as well as school streets and protected cycle lanes on main roads, to give residents a range of viable alternatives to driving.

Notes

Data showing how traffic has increased over time is available from the Department for Transport Website.

The Government published its Transport decarbonisation plan in July 2021.

Transport for the North has also published a Decarbonisation Strategy.

Newcastle City Council’s 2030 net zero plan can be viewed on its Climate View website.

The post How much less will we use our cars in future? appeared first on SPACE for Gosforth.

The Council has just released its Air Quality Annual Status Report 2018 and it is not looking good for Gosforth High Street. We had expected that the 2016 reading of 51μg/m³  for Nitrogen Dioxide (NO₂) was a one-off due to the roadworks at the junction with Salters Road, but in 2017 the figure had increased again to 59μg/m³. Both are substantially higher than the legal maximum of 40μg/m³.

In 2017 Gosforth High Street actually had the worst recorded air pollution of anywhere in the city.

The most polluted locations in Newcastle in 2017

*All monitors are located next to busy roads.

Elsewhere in the Gosforth Air Quality Management Area (AQMA) readings have improved slightly since 2016, although the reading at the south end of the High Street shops is also still above the legal limit.

At Haddricks Mill / Station Road air quality is only just within the legal limit despite Killingworth Road being fully closed to traffic for the second half of the year (in 2016 the readings were 42 and 46).  This might form part of the explanation why the reading on Gosforth High Street has increased in 2017.

All the above readings come from Nitrogen Dioxide diffusion tubes with the reading at the north end of the High Street measured at the north end of the shops shown in the title picture.

Gosforth also has an automatic monitor (shown below) located in the Salters Road car park. Over 2017 and into 2018, this monitor has been recording much lower (and legal) air quality results. We reported in our 2016 Air Quality Update that, based on this monitor, we thought that air quality on the High Street was improving.

Air pollution monitor on Gosforth High St

The difference in the two results is likely to be explained by the fact that the automatic monitor is located in an open space where pollution can disperse, whereas the official monitor is located in the main part of the High Street with buildings on either side forming a “street canyon”.

Street canyons can dramatically affect pollution levels. If the wind typically flows along the street then this can actually flush out the pollutants and cause them to disperse more quickly. Where the wind flows across the street this can trap the pollution within the canyon and prevent dispersal.

Clean Air Zones

According to the government, the most effective way to improve air quality is to introduce a Clean Air Zone. The Council is working on a plan to meet the UK High Court’s directive to reduce concentrations of NO₂  to meet legal limits and to do so within the shortest possible time. These results make it much more likely that Gosforth High Street will need to have its own Clean Air Zone. For more on Clean Air Zones see our blog The New Newcastle Air Pollution Plan. Details of this plan should be published early in 2019.

Newcastle City Centre

Air quality across Newcastle city centre also remains poor. At Percy Street and by Swan House roundabout, where the highest figures have been recorded, the results are no better than in 2016. In fact the only location with a noticeable improvement is outside Central Station, although even there readings are still above the legal limit.

In our 2016 Air Quality Update we said “The approaches used to date have been shown to be too slow or ineffective. To achieve compliance in the shortest possible timescales real commitments are required to effect a step change so that the city can be rid of dangerous air quality levels it has suffered for too long.” It is clear that this is still the case. We hope we will not have to repeat this sentiment again when 2018 figures become available this time next year.

While initiatives such as the Haymarket Moss Tree might be a useful talking points, it is not an alternative to substantive action.

Of all the measures listed in the current report, one of the most effective (as described by the report) is car parking charges. In Newcastle the Council continue to subsidise free parking after 5pm, money which they could be using to improve non-polluting travel options. For most of us, being “Alive after 65” is more important than saving a few pennies on parking fees.

Your Health

Three hundred and sixty lives are cut short every year in Newcastle due to poor air quality. Air pollution is also a known cause of a range of other health issues including asthma, lung disease, heart disease, cancer, dementia and infertility. If you live or work near a polluted location and have breathing or other health issues that could be linked to pollution, you may wish to mention this to your doctor next time you visit.

Happy Birthday?

April 2018 was the 10th anniversary of the city centre and Gosforth AQMAs. The Council have had ten years to fix this problem, but the latest reading for Gosforth High Street is worse than ever.

In 2015 the UK Supreme Court directed the government to ensure that air quality meets legal limits, and to do so within the shortest possible time scales.

That was over three years ago. The Council must act now to protect the health of residents or be held in contempt of court.

The post Air Quality Update 2017 appeared first on SPACE for Gosforth.

2018 is an important anniversary for Newcastle upon Tyne as it marks 10 years since Air Quality Management Areas (AQMAs) were declared for the city centre (which includes parts of Jesmond and Heaton) and for South Gosforth in 2008.  The city centre AQMA replaced an earlier AQMA in this area.

Newcastle City Centre AQMA

Both Air Quality Management Areas were declared due to levels of the pollutant nitrogen dioxide exceeding legal limits.

Nitrogen dioxide has been linked to a wide range of diseases and other health conditions including cancer, low sperm counts, dementia and cognitive delay in children.

Newcastle City Council recently released figures for nitrogen dioxide levels in 2016, and these showed that a previous trend of nitrogen dioxide levels decreasing in Gosforth has halted and that nitrogen dioxide levels in Gosforth have once again risen to above legal limits.

The South Gosforth AQMA

Members of the public can obtain real time information about levels from pollution from Newcastle University’s Urban Observatory. SPACE for Gosforth has written several previous blogs highlighting high levels of nitrogen dioxide in both AQMAs:

• Black Friday, Smoggy Saturday… (on Gosforth)
• Black Friday Part 2 – Newcastle City Centre
• Pollution Update – February 2017
• The New Newcastle Air Pollution Plan
• Air Quality Update 2016

Air pollution monitoring in 2015

As well as nitrogen dioxide pollution, previous monitoring carried out by SPACE for Gosforth in 2015 suggested that there might also be a problem with particulate pollution on Gosforth High Street.

2018 will also be an important electoral date for the city of Newcastle upon Tyne as residents in all wards will have the opportunity to elect all their three councillors due to the boundary changes. 

Locations where Defra have ordered a reduction in emissions

At SPACE for Gosforth we believe that this election offers residents of Newcastle upon Tyne the opportunity to raise the issue of our filthy air with candidates of all parties and to ask how they would tackle this issue.

Poor air quality affects everyone who lives and works in Newcastle upon Tyne. It is not an issue that our elected representatives can ignore, as they have been ordered to take action by Defra to reduce air pollution on the key city arteries of the Tyne Bridge / Central Motorway, the A1 and the Coast Road. This was following the defeat of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) in the High Court by the environmental law firm Client Earth.

Nitrogen dioxide levels on Blackett St last July – only legal when the road was closed to traffic!

Client Earth has launched further legal action against Defra this year, so it is entirely possible that as one consequence of this action Newcastle City Council may be required by the Government to do even more.  It is also worth noting that Newcastle City Council is currently controlled by the Labour Party, and Jeremy Corbyn, the leader of the Labour Party, has recently publicly stated that tackling air pollution is a national priority for his party should they form a government.

Air pollution monitor on Gosforth High St

The seriousness of this issue, both in its impact on public health and due to the legal obligations that are falling on Newcastle City Council, means that it is one which every candidate for public office in our city needs to understand fully.

In 2018 we hope to hear more from both elected councillors and candidates about what they will be doing this year to ensure that councillors, council officers and others in Newcastle take decisive and effective action to reduce levels of nitrogen dioxide in our city.

Ten years is too long for the health of the public to be put at risk in this way – our ambition for 2018 is that this tenth birthday for both AQMAs is also their last.

The post 2018 – 10 years of the Gosforth and City Centre AQMAs appeared first on SPACE for Gosforth.

Every year the Council is required to provide an annual status report covering its Air Quality Management Areas (AQMA) in the City Centre and in Gosforth. Figures have just been released for 2016 and, contrary to the longer term trend, there were significant increases in pollution across many sites in Gosforth and in the City Centre.

In Gosforth, whereas in 2015 all measurements for Nitrogen Dioxide (NO₂) were under the maximum legal level of 40 micrograms per cubic metre (μg/m³), in 2016 four of the monitors showed illegal levels of NO₂ air pollution. Two of these were on Gosforth High Street and two at Haddricks Mill junction. It is possible that some of the increase on Gosforth High Street related to the road works to re-design Salters Road junction. However, given the increases in other locations, it feels likely that even without the roadworks there would have been an increase.

We also have more recent figures since completion of the road works thanks to the Newcastle Urban Observatory, which also has a monitor at Salters Road junction. The graph below shows average pollution levels by week over the year showing higher levels over winter, with lower levels from the start of April. The darker coloured bars show the weeks that were local school holidays.

The annual average at Salters Road junction in this period from October 2016-September 2017, according to these unofficial figures, would be about 30 μg/m³. We will have to wait until the official 2017 figures however to see if this pattern is validated by the official monitoring sites.

Arriva North East introduced newer Sapphire buses on a number of services using Gosforth High Street in August 2017 so possibly that will have a beneficial effect even if the new buses are still only Euro 4 and Euro 5 standard for emissions.

Newcastle City Centre

In the city centre, NO₂ levels were above the legal limit in all areas from St James’ Park to the Civic Centre and the Quayside. Particularly high values were recorded by Haymarket and at Swan House roundabout. 

Clean Air “In the Shortest Possible Timescales”

Following the publication of the Government’s Air Quality Plan in July 2017, local authorities have been directed to create their own draft plan to achieve legal limits within the shortest possible time by March 2018.

The Council is currently undertaking a joint study with Gateshead Metropolitan Borough and North Tyneside councils to identify options for meeting the legal limits. This includes the areas identified by DEFRA (The Tyne Bridge, the A1 and the Coast Road) as well as the city centre. Possibly with the above results Gosforth also now needs to be included in that plan.

In the Council Cabinet briefing paper (item 6) which describes the study it confirms that “If Local Authorities do not take action to reduce exposure to air pollution below limit values, there is a potential for infraction fines to be passed to the local authority by the Government utilising the Localism Act.“

The direction to achieve compliance in the shortest possible timescales comes not just from the Government’s plan but also from a High Court ruling, which also clarified that the plan to bring air pollution within legal levels cannot be delayed as a result of economic considerations.

The Government’s analysis shows that “road transport is responsible for some 80% of NOx concentrations at roadside” and so any plan to reduce air pollution will have to include some element of limiting or discouraging vehicles. This could be by closing roads to prevent unnecessary through traffic or financial measures like congestion charging or parking fees.

This is already happening in some UK cities e.g. in Oxford they have “plans to start phasing out polluting vehicles including taxis, cars and buses from city centre area in 2020” and Nottingham City Council have introduced a Workplace Parking Levy which has helped fund public transport and improve air quality.  As we shared in our blog The New Newcastle Air Pollution Plan, it is possible the current Alive After Five subsidised car parking initiative is not compliant with the legal ruling to achieve compliance with air quality targets.

Reducing Traffic

Over the last year we have been able to see what an impact reducing traffic levels can have, even if only for a short period.

On 2 July 2017 parts of the city centre were closed for a British Cycling Let’s Ride event. Part of the route for the day passed one of the Urban Observatory‘s monitors at the junction of Northumberland and Blackett Street. The graph below shows that air quality on 2 July was much better than any other day in July and also therefore how legal compliance can be achieved almost instantly by reducing traffic levels.

Later in July there was a further brief road closure for the Northern Pride march, which even though lasting only a few hours caused air pollution to improve significantly in that short period.

Newcastle’s two Air Quality Management Areas will be 10 years old in April 2018. Many children growing up in Newcastle and in Gosforth may have spent their entire lives living in or near Air Quality Management Areas.

The approaches used to date have been shown to be too slow or ineffective. To achieve compliance in the shortest possible timescales real commitments are required to effect a step change so that the city can be rid of dangerous air quality levels it has suffered for too long.

The post Air Quality Update 2016 appeared first on SPACE for Gosforth.

A packed Trinity Church at the SPACE for Gosforth Blue House Meeting

In our look back at 2015, the year SPACE for Gosforth was formed, we wrote that this was only the beginning and that in 2016 we had a whole year to make a difference.  What we could not have anticipated at that time was the immense difference that 2016 would bring to our community.

Something old … Gosforth High Street

A better Gosforth High Street was the reason SPACE for Gosforth was founded in 2015, and we continued to focus on the High Street 2016.

A High Street filled with hidden dangers!

We began the year by publishing an account of a walk by one of our members on Gosforth High Street to raise awareness of the challenges faced by those with a visual impairment.  Our member was blindfolded and accompanied by a volunteer guide from Guide Dogs for the Blind, and his walk revealed a High Street filled with hidden – and not so hidden – dangers.  This would be an issue for any community given that the UK has an ageing population, but it is a particular issue for Gosforth as three Gosforth schools house Newcastle City Council’s Visual Impairment Additionally Resourced Centres.

Gosforth High Street

Newcastle City Council also agreed to work with SPACE for Gosforth and local traders to improve plans for Gosforth High Street.  These improvements will take place in stages – the first stage to be agreed was improvements for pedestrians, which has recently been the subject of a consultation.

South Gosforth AQMA

Gosforth High Street is part of the South Gosforth Air Quality Management Area.  The South Gosforth AQMA was declared due to high levels of nitrogen dioxide, and is one of two AQMAs in Newcastle upon Tyne (the other is the City Centre AQMA, which has even higher levels of nitrogen dioxide).  SPACE for Gosforth began investigating this issue in 2015 and we continued to highlight the issue of air pollution during 2016 as well as other costs to the community of the negative impacts of traffic.  By contrast, research confirms that increasing cycling has a positive effect on local business.

Air pollution monitor on Gosforth High St.

During the autumn, we were able to track daily readings from the Gosforth High Street air pollution monitor thanks to Newcastle University’s Urban Observatory project.

We were very worried to note the increase in levels of nitrogen dioxide on Gosforth High Street before Christmas  – and a similar increase in the City Centre Air Quality Management Area.

This is an issue SPACE for Gosforth intends to continue investigating due to the risk to residents’ health from air pollution.

Responses to Brunton to Broadway Consultation

Further north from Gosforth High Street on the Great North Road, we also looked at the responses to the proposed new cycle route between Broadway and Brunton Lane, a proposal that received strong support during the consultation.  The graph on the left shows the reasons why respondents liked the proposals.

Despite this, there have been concerns raised relating to the introduction of a toucan crossing.  We examined the issues relating to this crossing, in particular the need for a fully accessible crossing at this point.

Something new … adding to the local debate

SPACE for Gosforth was founded to add new information to the local debate and to take action on the challenges facing Gosforth, and we did this in a number of ways in 2016.

One important local issue we wished to examine at was the issue of drivers speeding on many of Gosforth’s residential streets, so we obtained and analysed traffic counts from Newcastle City Council to provide residents with accurate data about this issue.

When  Gosforth’s speed cameras made the local news, we analysed speed camera data to show that there has been a reduction of accidents since these cameras have been installed.

East Gosforth crash map

We returned to the issue of speeding at the time of the East Gosforth Ward Survey and Priority Event, when we also examined air pollution levels and road traffic casualties in East Gosforth Ward to provide residents with information on this issues .

Protected cycle lane on the Great North Road

Another issue we examined was children’s experience of cycling in our community.  We began by looking at safe cycling routes for children when we applied the research of Dr Rachel Aldred of Westminster University to our local cycling routes.  We found that while Gosforth does have examples of routes that are safe for children to cycle, these do not link together to form a coherent network and many streets are unsuitable for children.

We were also able to give an insight into how children see their school run in March, when we were privileged to be given permission by Archibald First School to publish a letter written by some of their pupils describing the near misses they have experienced on their way to school and requesting that parents drive safely around their school.

In April several local schools took part in The Big Pedal, a challenge to encourage children to cycle safely to school.  We reported on the results at the end of the first week and at the end of the Big Pedal, when three Gosforth headteachers all commented on how much their pupils enjoyed travelling by bike.

A close pass at the Regent Centre

We also looked at the Safe Overtaking petition, a parliamentary petition for a safe overtaking distance, and published a YouTube video clip showing a close pass near a Gosforth primary school.

The petition closed with 23,834 signatures, however the Government responded that it does not currently have any plans to change the legislation.  This is concerning as many of our members have shared their experience of suffering close passes when cycling in our city.

Electric bike in the park

Also in April we organised a taster session of Electric Parks in Gosforth Central Park.  Despite torrential rain, this session proved popular and one resident even arrived before the session began as he was so keen to try the bikes.  “Just brilliant” was the verdict of our members who collected the bikes from the Cycle Hub!

SPACE for Gosforth would like to see more events like this in Gosforth and we were pleased to see Go Smarter to Work organising an event in December at Trinity Church.  We also created the Bike Bingo Card for Bike Week.

John Dobson Street

2016 also saw the opening of Newcastle’s flagship cycle route on John Dobson Street, and we were impressed to find that the improvements have humanised a street that was previously inhospitable for both pedestrians and cycling.

Newcastle / Amsterdam

During the media debate following the opening of the John Dobson Street route Newcastle was often compared with Amsterdam, so we looked at what the two cities have in common.  We found that while both have iconic bridges, lively nightlife and great architecture, there is much we can learn from Amsterdam as it has higher numbers of cyclists, higher driver satisfaction and a much higher GDP.

Something borrowed … working with others

Crash Map for Station Road

In January SPACE for Gosforth members met East Gosforth Councillor Henry Gallagher on Station Road to investigate residents’ concerns about proposals for parking, which were felt to be a possible danger to cyclists.  The plans were later withdrawn and other plans included as part of the Haddricks’ Mills proposals (more on these proposals below).

We ended January by holding a talk with a guest speaker, Professor Mark Tewdwr-Jones of Newcastle University, about the City Futures project, which looked at what Newcastle might look like in 2065.

Monitor on the High Street

Following our air pollution monitoring on Gosforth High Street in 2015, we held a joint meeting in April with the Tyne and Wear Public Transport Users Group on air pollution with guest speakers Professor Margaret Bell and Dr Anil Namdeo from Newcastle University to explain this threat to our health.

The Netherlands is an inspiration for Almere Consulting

Finally in November, we held a meeting with Tom Bailey of Almere Consulting as our guest speaker to introduce his Garden City Guide to Active Travel.  Tom created his Guide after realising there was a gap in design standards for new large scale developments – and with so many new estates planned for Newcastle and its neighbouring communities, this was a gap that urgently needed filling.

Something Blue … Blue House Roundabout, Jesmond Dene Road and Haddricks Mill

The Blue House roundabout

In April we looked at the North-East Combined Authority’s survey on the future of transport in our region.  NECA’s vision of the future for Gosforth became clear in July when plans for “improvements” to the Blue House roundabout, Jesmond Dene Road and Haddricks’ Mill roundabouts were published.

The proposals for Blue House

All three proposals caused outrage throughout the Gosforth Community and beyond, particularly Blue House, which would have had a devastating effect on Newcastle’s iconic Town Moor.

The iconic Town Moor cows

SPACE for Gosforth objected to these proposals on these grounds and due to the risk to public health,  and because the proposals would not work.  We wrote an open letter to the NE Local Enterprise Partnership, who were contributing funding for the proposals and later received this reply.

Protest ribbons on the Little Moor

As SPACE for Gosforth believed that improvements for pedestrians and cyclists were needed at all three locations, we arranged a public meeting at Trinity Church to discuss alternatives.  We thought it was important that our community must not only say what it did not want, but also what it did want.

SPACE for Gosforth public meeting at Trinity Church

The result of the unprecedented community rejection of these plans led to a public meeting organised by Chi Onwurah, MP for Newcastle Central, and also attended by Catherine McKinnell MP (Newcastle North), Cllr Ged Bell and Graham Grant (Head of Transport Investment).

Chi Onwurah MP speaking at Trinity Church

Following this meeting SPACE for Gosforth was invited to join the Blue House Working Group. Information about the group can be found on the Blue House Working Group website, and we have also blogged about the first, second, fifth and sixth Blue House meetings.

Graphic Representation of the 2nd Blue House Meeting

The future of Blue House will continue to be decided during 2017, and we set out a series of measures of success for both policies and for people movement against which the final plans (when published) can be judged.

Poor planning at Gosforth Business Park

Shortly after the Blue House public meeting, plans were submitted to North Tyneside Council for a development on Gosforth Business Park which illustrated how planning can influence the type of journeys we make. We were very concerned to find that these plans made no reference to the nearby South Gosforth Air Quality Management Area and were likely to increase traffic in the AQMA.  With many other nearby developments planned, planning will remain an issue of concern in 2017.

And 2017?

Looking back on 2016, we are amazed at challenges our community has faced and are proud that we have added to local debate and have taken action to improve road safety and air quality in our community.

But these challenges will continue in 2017 – please join us to help make a difference!

The post SPACE’s 2016: some things old, new, borrowed and BLUE appeared first on SPACE for Gosforth.

On 12 April, six days before the General Election was announced, the Evening Standard published an article quoting Theresa May stating that toxic air pollution is the fourth biggest public health risk behind cancer, obesity and heart disease.

While there are multiple causes for each of these public health risks,
we can dramatically reduce the impact of all these risks – and more –
by changing how we travel.

The post The Case for Healthy Streets appeared first on SPACE for Gosforth.