Hi Stewart, I think the cones are road works in preparation for the change rather than the change itself. Almost certainly there will be a bit of disruption as things bed in. Let’s see what it’s like and judge it once it’s in.
The change itself is mostly wider pavements so not a lot to help people cycle.
PS. Our survey of Gosforth suggested it was about 40% who cycled.

Hi Michael, It’s good you have had a good experience. We do each experience roads differently depending on how we are travelling, and what levels of risk we are prepared to tolerate or have become accustomed to.

For Hollywood Avenue, we do know there is lots of speeding. We have Council data to show this and the experience of many people who live there.

Even with both Killingworth Road closed and Salters Bridge open only to foot and cycle traffic, there wasn’t a substantial difference to traffic levels on Station Road. Haddricks Mill is of course being designed for high traffic levels so is a much better place for traffic than a residential street. This blog has some details on observed traffic volumes.
https://www.spaceforgosforth.com/roadworks-air-quality/

Measured Air Quality on Station Road actually improved when Killingworth Road was closed.

Hi Mac, I use both streets regularly and my observation is that traffic is substantially down on both.

For this article we would have loved to have included more locations but were limited to where the traffic cameras are placed, which is pretty much the Great North Road and Haddricks Mill.

What this article does do is highlight where people might have difficulty physical distancing. E.g. where people are queuing for shops, cashpoints or bus stops, narrow pavements next to busy roads or staged crossings. These observations can be applied more generally to other streets.

The most obvious location that does get busy with people walking on Kenton Road is next to the junction with Grandstand Road, especially on the west side where the pavement isn’t as wide. If you think there is somewhere else along Kenton Road that might benefit from an intervention please say though.

Extend the pavements to make it single lane only in both directions. Laybys could be available for buses or delivery vehicles to allow traffic to move freely on the single lanes.

To do this we would need to substantially reduce traffic… so my idea is as follows;
– Block the north bound exit off blue house roundabout for cars. It would remain open for buses and bikes only.
– Cars traveling north could be routed left up Grandstand Road, onto Kenton Road, then rejoin Great North Road from Regent Farm Road or Broadway west