Hi Nicola,

Thanks for sharing this.

Certainly if you were prioritising environmental objectives over other considerations then there’s a really good case to keep the bridges closed to vehicle traffic, as experience from practically everywhere similar schemes have been implemented is that these changes reduce driving and people walk and cycle more as a result. If you think there’s a “green” case for opening the bridges though please say.

I did walk along Stoneyhurst Road the day before your comment at about 3pm when parents were picking up children but even then there were very few moving vehicles and Balmoral was completely clear so hopefully these are one-offs and fairly easily resolved. I walked along Balmoral again today and there were multiple places people could pass if needed.

In terms of the issues you mention, are they not caused by multiple factors?

For the tradesman it sounds like it was a combination of bridge and an out-of-date Satnav. The latter could be fixed quite easily surely? I’m also guessing that it would actually have been quicker if he had driven around given the time it would have taken to borrow some ladders.

I’m guessing your other anecdote was at least part caused by snow, and if someone isn’t happy reversing in those conditions then maybe they shouldn’t have been driving in the first place that day? The situation could equally have happened if the bridge was open to traffic, although possibly fewer people are travelling now because of Covid restrictions meaning there are fewer places to pass.

One potential problem area remains Rectory Road, which seems to be getting more rat running, often by large south-bound vehicles around 8 am. This overspills into Moor Road South. This might reflect current slow traffic at Haddricks Mill and Gosforth High Street.

The parental SUV parking chaos continues near Newcastle School for Boys of course, but that is a separate long-term issue.

Hi Dan, Thanks for sharing your experience. Many of the residents we have spoken to and parents of children attending South Gosforth school are really appreciating the much quieter streets and overall it is pretty clear the area is safer for children, especially walking to and from school.

For larger delivery vehicles the change shouldn’t have made a difference as there was already a 7.5T weight limit on the bridge.

For your wagon though, if you contact the Council with specifics they may be able to do something to amend parking arrangements so you are less obstructed at junctions as the roads themselves are plenty wide enough.

The fire service will have been consulted by the Council prior to closure and I’m sure they would have expressed concerns had they had any, but it’s certainly no worse for vehicle access than other long-standing traffic calmed estates around Newcastle.

I’m a delivery driver, now that stoneyhurst Bridge is closed it is now exceptionally difficult to get to South Gosforth school, cars are parked either side of the roads surrounding, sometimes I’m having to make quite frankly dangerous manoeuvers to get my wagon round. I’m not sure how a fire engine would get down there either, in my experience the area was busy at peak times, like everywhere.

Hi Mary,

Thank you for your comment.

The Council’s statement was that “By restricting traffic in these areas [The Council] believe it will help create safer, cleaner and greener neighbourhoods and encourage more walking and cycling.” You may believe this is ‘a sort of paradise’ but I don’t believe those words were used anywhere.

Typically changes will take a few months to bed in hence the need for a 6 month minimum trial period.

We have had feedback from people living on both sides of the bridge that the streets are already feeling quieter, but if you can give some more details about where and why you found cycling more dangerous that might be something we can look at.

Most supermarket delivery vans should be able to use any of the roads east of the bridge, and in fact I have seen them doing so. Larger vehicles shouldn’t have been using the bridge anyway due to the wait restriction.

It’s good that we agree there will most likely be less traffic on estate roads. The trial will let us see if this also happens in practice. This will benefit all residents, including those that need to drive, those that do not own a car, people who would normally not choose to cycle due to traffic or those using accessible cycles, powered wheelchairs or mobility scooters, people with respiratory complaints and those that might be more at risk from traffic.

For those that do drive, our analysis also showed that except for very short journeys no one would have to drive much further. Arguably driving a bit further for fewer journeys, and to have permanently quieter streets, is a trade off many people would want though.

We’re happy to consider other options if you wish to suggest some, although the option proposed is one that has been used widely already in Newcastle and around the UK without any issues. We have heard concerns in the past about speed bumps being an issue for certain people.

Thanks at least for conceding 1b. The consistent result is of course that “there will be less traffic near Stoneyhurst Bridge” and that is precisely where we begin to become unstuck. Of course there will be” in general less traffic on estate roads” but these plans put more miles and more stress on people who live on their “wrong” side of the bridge – the bridge which encouraged them to invest heavily in living here in the first place. Once you’ve got rid of these troublesome neighbours and only the “right” sided people live here, or the able-bodied, active ones, your plan should work. It is elitist, ableist and not thoughtful or considerate enough. You should instead be offering inclusive suggestions that would still dissuade/calm through vehicle traffic and offer better opportunities for cycling without hammering the people who live here.

Hi Gareth, thanks for the comment.

Yes, I agree the sensible thing to do in those circumstances would be, as you say, to exit directly onto Station Road. The junctions onto Station Road are no more or less dangerous than other local similar junctions. This is pretty much what we said in answer to the first concern.

We wanted to include the scenario only because it is a natural consequence of that first concern, and because the same person who said exiting onto Station Road was not safe also said that the change would lead to more traffic. As the example suggests it is very unlikely that both would be true.

Even without example 1b though, the consistent result from all of the examples is less traffic on estate roads, and less traffic near Stoneyhurst Road bridge. If you think this is wrong though please feel free to set out why you think this is.