The main pollutant of concern in Newcastle is Nitrogen Dioxide (NO₂). The legal maximum for NO₂ is 40μg/m³ (micro grams per cubic metre) averaged over a calendar year. In 2022, the highest reading was 92μg/m³, over double the limit. The World Health Organisation (WHO) recommend NO₂ should be no more than 10μg/m³ averaged over a year.

2022 Highlights:

• With no Clean Air Zone (originally planned for January 2020) air pollution in Newcastle still didn’t meet UK legal limits.
• Haymarket was the most polluted location in the city centre.
• The worst pollution recorded across all Newcastle was 92μg/m³ on The Coast Road by the junction with Jesmond Park West, the same location as 2021.
• Measurements from Gosforth were all within UK legal limits for the third year running, though still substantially higher than the WHO’s recommended maximum.

For anyone thinking that there must be a better way to cut air pollution than a Clean Air Zone, the Council’s city centre Air Quality Plan, in place since 2008, has 38 non-CAZ actions to improve air quality. This isn’t specific to Newcastle, most local authorities with Air Quality Management Areas (AQMAs) have had similarly ineffective plans. If these other measures were effective, pollution would already be well below legal limits.

Newcastle City Centre

In the city centre, Haymarket was the most polluted with a Nitrogen Dioxide (NO₂) reading of 53μg/m³, a slight increase on 2021 and substantially above both the 40μg/m³ legal maximum for the UK and the WHO recommendation.

Strawberry Place, which was the most polluted location in 2021 with 54μg/m³, recorded 46.4μg/m³ in 2022.

City Centre Air Quality Management Area (AQMA)

These are the city centre locations where air pollution exceeded the legal limit in 2022

• 53.3 μg/m³ DT29/DT30/DT31 (triplicate co-location site, Percy Street)
• 50.5 μg/m³ DT12/Dt117/DT118 (8 Mosley Street)
• 48.9 μg/m³ DT81 (Stephenson Road)
• 46.6 μg/m³ DT65 (Blackett Street/Old Eldon Square)
• 46.4 μg/m³ DT128 (Strawberry Place)
• 46.3μg/m³ St Marys Place/John Dobson Street (DT5, DT115,DT116)
• 45.1 μg/m³ DT102 (John Dobson Street)
• 44.7 μg/m³ DT8 (Market Street)
• 43.5 μg/m³ DT13 (Neville Street/Westgate Road)

In most cases readings were very similar to 2021.

In 2019 (pre-Covid), Blackett Street was the most polluted location in the city centre with a measurement of 71μg/m³. Also higher in 2019 were Central Station (69μg/m³), Haymarket (66μg/m³) and Grainger Street (65μg/m³).

Air pollution on Blackett Street in 2022, including from buses, was above the legal limit, measured at 47μg/m3.

PM2.5, very small particulate matter pollution, is also measured in the city centre at the Civic Centre. In 2022 the reading was 6.5μg/m³  (down from 7.1μg/m³ in 2021) which is less than the UK Legal limit 20μg/m³, but higher than WHO guidance that the annual average should be no more than 5μg/m³.

The Council’s pollution plan analysis from 2019 was that air quality on The Coast Road would be compliant in 2021 and that no additional measures would be required. Clearly that hasn’t worked out as two locations were still above legal limits in 2022, one substantially so (almost 2.5 times the limits).

City Centre AQMA and Coast Road NO2 in 2022

These are The Coast Road locations where air pollution exceeded the legal limit in 2022

• 92.2 μg/m³, DT81 (Stephenson Road, entrance to Jesmond Park West)
• 41.4μg/m³, DT84 (A1058 Coast Road, Wills Building)

This is the combined result of about 50,000 vehicles using this route every day in 2022.

Drivers and car passengers who use this route every day will continue to expose themselves to significant levels of pollution, especially as the concentration of pollution within vehicles is typically much higher than the air outside.

Gosforth

In 2022, all Gosforth High Street monitors recorded pollution levels within legal limits, again debunking irresponsible scaremongering claims of “significantly more toxic fumes” due to the High Street Covid scheme which was replaced in March 2023.

Gosforth Air Quality Management Area (AQMA)

• 35.5μg/m³, DT50 (84 Station Road)
• 33.8μg/m³, DT43 (53 High Street, Gosforth)
• 27.3μg/m³, DT44 (102 – 104 High Street, Gosforth)
• 36.4μg/m³, DT45 (201 Gosforth High St)

Unless traffic dramatically increases again on Gosforth High Street it is likely pollution readings will now remain within UK legal limits, although still much higher than WHO recommended levels.

The graph below shows that air pollution at the three High Street monitoring sites and average daily traffic measured just north of The Grove are clearly linked. Because of this, doing anything that increases vehicle capacity on Gosforth High Street would potentially be in violation of the Air Quality Regulations.

Air pollution and average daily traffic on Gosforth High Street

Average daily traffic in 2023, up to the end of July, is still less than 16,000 vehicles a day so pollution in 2023 is likely to remain under the UK legal limit.

Air pollution at Haddricks Mill, 35.5μg/m³ in 2022, is broadly unchanged from previous years. 

Denton Burn

Other than Cowgate, all the readings west of the city were also within legal limits.

The A1 Scotswood to North Brunton road widening was completed 10 October 2022. The average measurements at Cowgate in November / December 2022 following completion were > 50μg/m³ so there is a risk that pollution levels will have increased here in 2023 due to induced demand from the additional capacity on the A1.

Denton Burn air pollution readings

The Clean Air Zone (CAZ) came into force from January 2023, so it is possible that next year we might finally have some good news – eighteen years after UK Air Quality Limits should have been met in Newcastle!

This Government’s Air Quality Technical Guidance states that charging the most polluting vehicles is one of the most effective ways to reduce pollution, so the CAZ is likely to be effective to cut pollution in the city centre.

Cleaner buses, taxis, vans and HGVs will also benefit roads outside the city centre, but we don’t know whether that will be sufficient for air quality, for example on Central Motorway, Cowgate or The Coast Road.

The table below shows the split of traffic on The Coast Road, St James’ Boulevard, Tyne Bridge and Gosforth High Street in 2022. As it shows, Gosforth High Street has the highest proportion of buses, HGVs and heavy vans so is likely to gain the most. Coast Road traffic is only 7% buses, HGVs or heavy vans so may not benefit as much.

* “cars” includes taxis and light vans.

We hope the Council will be able to release air pollution monitoring data sooner in future, so that we can find out quickly what impact the CAZ has had.

SPACE for Gosforth has previously summarised official air pollution measurements for 2021, 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017 and 2016.

The post Air Quality Update 2022 appeared first on SPACE for Gosforth.

The main pollutant of concern in Newcastle is Nitrogen Dioxide (NO₂). The legal maximum for NO₂ is 40μg/m³ averaged over a calendar year. In 2021, the highest reading was 98μg/m³, over double the limit. The World Health Organisation (WHO) recommend NO₂ should be no more than 10μg/m³ averaged over a year.

2021 Highlights:

• Overall, pollution was less than 2016-2019, but still didn’t meet UK legal limits.
• St James’ Park, home of Newcastle United Football Club, was the most polluted location in the city centre.
• The worst pollution recorded across Newcastle was 98μg/m³ on The Coast Road by the junction with Jesmond Park West.
• Measurements from Gosforth and The West End were all within UK legal limits for the second year running, though still substantially over the WHO’s recommendation.
• The Clean Air Zone, originally planned for January 2020, has still not been implemented.
• Traffic levels remain lower than pre-Covid in many areas though back to pre-Covid levels on some of the main commuter routes.

Newcastle City Centre

In the city centre, Strawberry Place next to St James’ Park was the most polluted with a Nitrogen Dioxide (NO₂) reading of 54.1μg/m³, substantially above both the 40μg/m³ legal maximum for the UK and the WHO recommendation.

City Centre Air Quality Management Area (AQMA)

These are the city centre locations where air pollution exceeded the legal limit in 2021

• 54.1μg/m³, DT25 (Strawberry Place between St James Park and Nine Bar)
• 50.8μg/m³, DT29/DT30/DT31 (triplicate co-location site, Percy Street)
• 48.7μg/m³, DT12 (8 Mosley Street)
• 45.4μg/m³, DT20 (Newgate Street/Grainger Street)
• 45.4μg/m³, DT65 (Blackett Street, Old Eldon Square)
• 44.2μg/m³, DT5 (St. Mary’s Place/John Dobson Street)
• 42.1μg/m³, DT13 (Neville Street/Westgate Road)
• 41.2μg/m³, DT7 (Blackett Street/Northumberland Street)

In 2019 (pre-Covid), Blackett Street was the most polluted location in the city centre with a measurement of 71μg/m³. Also higher in 2019 were Central Station (69μg/m³), Haymarket (66μg/m³) and Grainger Street (65μg/m³).

Air pollution on Blackett Street in 2021, including from buses, was measured at 45μg/m3.

Reduced levels of pollution in the city centre could be due less traffic, possibly also due to bus companies investing in cleaner vehicles ahead of the Clean Air Zone. For examples, Go North East launched two all-electric bus routes in November 2020, with support from the Government’s Ultra-Low Emission Bus Fund.

Crowds and cars on Strawberry Place on the day of the NUFC takeover announcement.

One big question is why through-traffic is still allowed through the city centre adding to the pollution, when the Council’s Urban Core Plan (adopted in 2015) said “Policies will direct traffic which does not need to travel into the Urban Core onto major routes around the edge of the Urban Core.” Google Maps, for example, still shows the quickest driving routes from Redheugh Bridge to Blue House roundabout are directly through the city centre via Percy Street or via Newcastle Central Station.

Google Maps showing driving routes from Redheugh Bridge to Blue House roundabout.

PM2.5, very small particulate matter pollution, is also measured in the city centre at the Civic Centre. In 2021 the reading was 7.1μg/m³, which is less than the UK Legal limit 20μg/m³, but higher than WHO guidance that the annual average should be no more than 5μg/m³.

Plans for a cycle lane on Percy Street, long one of the most polluted streets in the city, were shelved in 2019 because the space would be needed by buses re-routed from Blackett Street. Now the Blackett Street plans have been put off is it time to look again at Percy Street?

Plans for a cycle lane on Percy street were shelved in 2019.

Central Motorway and Coast Road

The Council’s pollution plan analysis from 2019 was that air quality on The Coast Road would be compliant in 2021 and that no additional measures would be required. Clearly that hasn’t worked out as two locations were still above legal limits, one substantially so (almost 2.5 times the limits).

These are the central motorway and coast road locations where air pollution exceeded the legal limit in 2021

• 97.7μg/m³, DT81 (Stephenson Road, entrance to Jesmond Park West)
• 43.4μg/m³, DT80 (A167 AQ Mesh)
• 42.9μg/m³, DT79 (Tyne Bridge)
• 42.4μg/m³, DT84 (A1058 Coast Road, Wills Building)

Drivers and car passengers who use this route every day will be exposing themselves to significant levels of pollution, especially as pollution levels within vehicles are typically much higher than the air outside.

The Coast Road (46,000 vehicles a day in 2021) and Tyne Bridge (53,000 vehicles) are two of the busiest vehicle routes in the city. Achieving pollution limits without cutting vehicle volumes is going to prove very hard at these locations. For comparison, Gosforth High Street had 15,200 vehicles a day on average in 2021.

A1058 Corner House/ Stephenson Road, westbound, the earlier broken down white Audi A3 that was obstructing the exit for Heaton Road has now moved on.#Newcastle pic.twitter.com/2M1s0pwxj1

— North East Live Traffic (@NELiveTraffic) November 3, 2022

We often hear people saying we should add extra lanes or remove traffic lights to “let the traffic flow” but all that ever means is bigger queues and more pollution at the next junction, as it is not possible to completely eliminate junctions in a city.

Many cities across the world are now considering removing urban motorways including Glasgow where there is a campaign to replace the M8.

A167(M) Central Motorway, southbound delays and traffic building up under the Swan House roundabout with tail backs forming.#Newcastle pic.twitter.com/DsSOtXGZCl

— North East Live Traffic (@NELiveTraffic) November 2, 2022

Gosforth

In 2021, all Gosforth High Street monitors recorded pollution levels within legal limits, thoroughly debunking irresponsible scaremongering claims of “significantly more toxic fumes” due to the High Street Covid scheme. These were the second lowest readings since the Salters Road junction was remodelled in 2016.

Gosforth Air Quality Management Area (AQMA)

The four pollution measurements shown in Gosforth (all within UK legal limits) are:

• 37.4μg/m³, DT50 (84 Station Road)
• 34.6μg/m³, DT43 (53 High Street, Gosforth)
• 28.7μg/m³, DT44 (102 – 104 High Street, Gosforth)
• 32.9μg/m³, DT45 (201 Gosforth High St)

We noted in our We still love Gosforth High Street blog that if air pollution measurements in 2021 were 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.

The main reason for the lower pollution levels is likely to be because there was less traffic on Gosforth High Street in 2021. The new layout may have contributed to this.

The graph below shows that air pollution at the three High Street monitoring sites and average daily traffic measured just north of The Grove are clearly linked. Because of this, doing anything that increases vehicle capacity on Gosforth High Street would potentially be in violation of the Air Quality Regulations.

Air pollution and average daily traffic on Gosforth High Street

Average daily traffic in 2022, up to the end of September, is still less than 16,000 vehicles a day so pollution in 2022 is likely to be slightly higher but still be under the limit.

Whatever the actual cause of the reduction in air pollution, it is clear that less traffic means less pollution.

The Council have also confirmed the Covid road layout hasn’t had any significant impact on journey times for people driving.

An electric bus and cycle lane on Gosforth High Street. Picture taken September 2022.

Air pollution at Haddricks Mill, 37.4μg/m³ in 2021, is broadly unchanged from previous years. This isn’t a bad result given traffic levels were suppressed during the Killingworth Road closure, but it should be much lower.

In the Chronicle article below, the Council said they aimed to cut pollution by “reducing congestion [and] by better managing the flow of vehicles at junctions” like Haddricks Mill. There isn’t good evidence that this approach will work.  The Government’s own Air Quality Plan said about measures to optimise traffic flow that “there is considerable uncertainty on the real world impacts of such actions.“

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

— The Chronicle (@ChronicleLive) June 4, 2019

Denton Burn

Like Gosforth, all the readings west of the city were also within legal limits, although Cowgate roundabout was very close to the limit.

Now the A1 Scotswood to North Brunton road widening has been completed (10 October 20222) roads leading to and from the A1 are likely to get busier as traffic increases due to induced demand from the additional capacity on the A1.

Denton Burn air pollution readings

The Clean Air Zone

The Clean Air Zone (CAZ) is now due to come into force from January 2023, so it is possible that two years from now we might finally have some good news – eighteen years after UK Air Quality Limits should have been met in Newcastle!

This Government’s Air Quality Technical Guidance states that charging the most polluting vehicles is one of the most effective ways to reduce pollution, so the CAZ is likely to be effective to cut pollution in the city centre.

Cleaner buses, taxis, vans and HGVs will also benefit roads outside the city centre, but we don’t know whether that will be sufficient for air quality, for example on Central Motorway or The Coast Road.

The table below shows the split of traffic on The Coast Road, St James’ Boulevard, Tyne Bridge and Gosforth High Street. As it shows, Gosforth High Street has the highest proportion of buses, HGVs and heavy vans so is likely to gain the most. Coast Road traffic is only 3-4% buses, HGVs or heavy vans so may not benefit as much.

* “cars” includes taxis and light vans. 

We hope the Council will be able to release air pollution monitoring data sooner in future, so that we can find out quickly what impact the CAZ has had.

SPACE for Gosforth has previously summarised official air pollution measurements for 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017 and 2016.

The post Air Quality Update 2021 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.

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.

It should be no surprise to anybody that air quality temporarily improved in 2020. In March 2020, the Guardian reported that that the Coronavirus pandemic had led to a huge drop in air pollution right around the world. Newcastle was no different.

The graph below, from the urban observatory, shows that traffic in Newcastle dipped to 40% of normal levels in March 2020 before slowly increasing again as restrictions were lifted. 40% of current traffic levels is what a child in the 1970s would have experienced when growing up. In 1974 traffic levels were about 40% of what they were in 2019. By May this had increased to 50% (~1983 traffic levels), by June it was 60% (~1987) and in July and August at about 80% (~1998).

Traffic volumes in Newcastle March 2020 – May 2021

Across Newcastle, this led to some of the lowest ever pollution readings ever recorded with only two locations in Newcastle at or exceeding the UK legal limit of 40μg/m³ in 2020.

Gosforth

In Gosforth, the highest annual average reading in 2020 was 28μg/m³, about half the level recorded in 2019.

Newcastle City Centre

In the City Centre, only Percy Street next to Haymarket bus station was at the UK legal limit (39.5μg/m³ before rounding up). St Mary’s Place, Strawberry Place and Blackett Street were all very close to the limit.

Denton Burn

Denton Burn, west of Newcastle, showed a similar reduction to Gosforth. In 2019, the reading at Cowgate roundabout was 51μg/m³.

The Coast Road and Byker

In 2020, the highest recorded level of air pollution was the same as 2019, at the entrance to Jesmond Park West near People’s Theatre. This was 57μg/m³ compared to 93μg/m³ in 2019. Only the monthly reading for April 2020 was under the annual limit, and that was still 36μg/m³.

In 2019 we said “Newcastle and North Tyneside Councils need to urgently consider measures to address air pollution on The Coast Road as a CAZ [Clean Air Zone] by itself is unlikely to reduce air pollution levels.” To date, no additional proposals have been announced for The Coast Road.

Temporary Respite

Almost certainly these reductions will be short-lived. The Chronicle reported in September 2020 that “Experts warn Newcastle traffic and air pollution ‘back to pre-Covid levels’ – and could get worse“. Monitoring from the Urban Observatory suggests that traffic levels in 2021 are back at the level they were before Covid.

More recently, the World Health Organisation (WHO) cut its recommended maximum pollution levels from 40μg/m³ to 10μg/m³. Virtually nowhere in Newcastle currently meets this target.

The WHO also revised its guidance for PM2.5, very small particulate matter pollution, from 10μg/m³ to 5μg/m³. In Newcastle this is only measured outside the Civic Centre. The 2020 reading was 5.5μg/m³.

The Guardian reported in the same article that “Scientists stressed that even the new [WHO] limits should not be considered safe, as there appears to be no level at which pollutants stop causing damage. They said reducing pollution would boost health even in nations with relatively clean air” and that “A 2019 review concluded that air pollution may be damaging every organ in the body, causing heart and lung disease, diabetes and dementia and reducing intelligence.”

A recent report from Imperial College has also concluded that “Exposure to air pollution before the pandemic increased the risk of hospital admissions if a person became infected with COVID-19.”

The current expected launch date for Newcastle’s Clean Air Zone is now July 2022.

SPACE for Gosforth has previously summarised results for 2019, 2018, 2017 and 2016.

The post Air Quality Update 2020 appeared first on SPACE for Gosforth.

From November 2020 to January 2021 Transport North East held a consultation on their draft transport plan for the North East up to 2035. This is the SPACE for Gosforth response.

We looked at the plan’s vision and objectives, and we looked at the schemes proposed. The vision talks about carbon reduction, health, reducing inequalities, safer streets and sustainable travel. The schemes include link roads, corridor improvements, capacity upgrades, addressing vehicle pinch points, dual carriageways and junction upgrades. These clearly don’t align.

We fully support the plan objectives, but the schemes need to be re-evaluated to select and expand those that support the objectives and reject those that do not.

Transport North East say they are working to “deliver game-changing transport schemes and initiatives.” and “to greatly improve the lives of everyone living or working in our region.” The current plan won’t do this, but we hope our and other’s feedback will be taken into account to produce a revised plan that will achieve the stated objectives.

Transport for the North East itself provides “strategy, planning and delivery services on behalf of the North East Joint Transport Committee (NEJTC)“, where the committee is made up of the region’s two Combined Authorities (North of Tyne Combined Authority covering Newcastle, North Tyneside and Northumberland, and the North East Combined Authority covering Durham, Gateshead, Sunderland and South Tyneside).

Update 13 March 2021: Transport North East have produced their final plan for approval by local authorities. You can see the final plan and a “You said – we did” document explaining what changes have been made here.

The letter below is our group’s response to the original consultation in January 2021.

Dear Transport North East,

Re: North East Transport Plan Consultation – January 2021

Thank you for the opportunity to comment on the North East Transport Plan. It is extremely positive to see The North East Combined Authority and The North of Tyne Combined Authority working together on a single coherent plan for the region.

We welcome and acknowledge the need, as you say, to “deliver profound and lasting improvements that will shape the North East and its people for decades to come.” We are in the midst of a Climate Emergency, a health crisis made worse because of existing high levels of poor health in part caused by inactivity, and scandalously we have still have not met legally-binding targets for air quality that came into force in 2005.

Between 2010 and 2019, 511 people were killed and 6,450 people were seriously injured on the North East’s roads. These are not just statistics, they were mums, dads, children, friends and neighbours. Almost half of those killed or seriously injured on the region’s roads were under 35 years old. Change is needed, and it is needed quickly, by 2025 not by 2035.

“The truth about a region’s aspirations isn’t found in its vision. It’s found in its budget.”

We’ve looked at the plan’s vision and objectives, and we’ve looked at the schemes proposed. The vision talks about carbon reduction, health, reducing inequalities, safer streets and sustainable travel. The schemes include link roads, corridor improvements, capacity upgrades, addressing vehicle pinch points, dual carriageways and junction upgrades. These clearly don’t align.

Carbon reduction, improved health and more sustainable travel all point to less vehicle traffic in future, not more. Building for more traffic while at the same time forecasting less traffic is just throwing money away, and will lead to more emissions and poor health outcomes.

While we acknowledge many of the schemes included do support active travel and public transport, for a region of two million people they could be substantially more ambitious than proposed, and achieve benefits far more quickly if funds weren’t being diverted to expensive schemes to create unneeded additional vehicle capacity.

The vision should define the destination

The plan vision needs to establish and make tangible what the end goal is and start to build towards that, so people understand the destination rather than only seeing individual steps on the journey. This will support both community buy-in to the plan and provide better focus for the initiatives that make up the plan.

It is not hard to envisage what this would look like. As a minimum it would need to include:

• Accessible and inclusive local streets with pavements that are not cluttered or used for parking.
• A defined road network for essential vehicle journeys, with reduced capacity compared to now, as fewer journeys will need a vehicle in future when other better options become available.
• Local roads that are not part of that main-road network that can be used for walking, cycling, socializing and street play, but not for through traffic (low traffic neighbourhoods).
• Junctions designed to prevent high-speed collisions and speed limits set to ensure collisions do not lead to serious injury or death.
• A region-wide network of safe walking and cycling routes to connect homes to shops, schools, parks and other local destinations and which support inclusive cycling and allow children to travel independently.
• An efficient high-frequency bus network with good quality interchanges and integration with walking and cycling routes for longer multi-modal journeys.

These alone would substantially achieve all the plan objectives with money to spare. The question for Transport North East is how quickly it can move to achieve this vision, so that everyone who lives in the North East can start to see and feel the benefits.

Transport North East has work to do to demonstrate this is not a ‘business as usual’ transport plan.

Substantially the objectives in the plan do speak to the serious economic, climate, air quality, health and wellbeing issues that are today caused by road transport, and need to be addressed through changes to the transport system. Good intentions though are not enough to achieve good outcomes.

As we have said, many of the actual schemes proposed are very much business as usual.

We therefore want to challenge Transport North East to come up with a revised set of schemes, including those on the list above, that will demonstrably prove this is not a ‘business as usual’ plan.

To be genuinely transformational, and not just business as usual, the plan should very clearly:

• Enable the five of seven local authorities that have set a target to be carbon neutral by 2030 to achieve that by substantially decarbonizing the transport system by 2030.
• Achieve zero killed and seriously injured on the region’s roads by 2025. (This should be part of the safe, secure network objective, not hidden away on page 33.)
• Create safe networks of routes leading to a step-change increase in walking and cycling for local (< 5 mile) journeys throughout the region.
• Demonstrate that Transport North East and the constituent authorities can act with the necessary pace and urgency to make these happen, with substantial progress by 2025 or sooner.

There’s no such thing as a ‘two minutes late for work emergency’

There is a Climate Emergency. Poor air quality is the largest environmental risk to public health in the UK. Physical inactivity is responsible for one in six UK deaths.

Choosing how the budget is allocated is a moral and political choice. Transport North East can either deliver profound and lasting improvements by prioritising the budget to address transport poverty, health, climate, economy and environment, or it can build more link roads to make driving marginally more attractive for a few years for people who can afford it. Almost certainly it won’t be possible to do both.

Please choose wisely.

We enclose our response to the consultation questions below.

Yours faithfully,

SPACE for Gosforth

www.spaceforgosforth.com

SPACE for Gosforth North East Transport Plan Questionnaire Response

2. Are you responding as an individual or on behalf of an organisation?

We are responding on behalf of the SPACE for Gosforth group, based in Gosforth in Newcastle upon Tyne. SPACE for Gosforth is a residents’ group with the aim of promoting healthy, liveable, accessible and safe neighbourhoods where walking and cycling are safe, practical and attractive travel options for residents of all ages and abilities. We are residents of Gosforth, most of us with families and we walk, cycle, use public transport and drive. SPACE stands for Safe Pedestrian and Cycling Environment.

6. Do we support the Vision Statement: “Moving to a green, healthy, dynamic and thriving North East”

Yes, we support the Vision Statement.

This needs to be brought to life and explained properly so people understand where the plan is, or should be according to the objectives, leading us. For example:

• Accessible and inclusive local streets with pavements that are not cluttered or used for parking.
• A defined road network for essential vehicle journeys, with reduced capacity compared to now, as fewer journeys will need a vehicle in future when other better options become available.
• Local roads that are not part of that main-road network that can be used for walking, cycling, socializing and street play, but not for through traffic (low traffic neighbourhoods).
• Speed limits set to ensure collisions do not lead to serious injury or death, and junctions designed to prevent high-speed collisions.
• A region-wide network of safe walking and cycling routes to connect homes to shops, schools, parks and other local destinations and which support inclusive cycling and allow children to travel independently.
• An efficient high-frequency bus network with good quality interchanges and integration with walking and cycling routes for longer multi-modal journeys

How much do you agree with each of the following objectives?

What do you think are the barriers to achieving each of these objectives?

The following are common barriers and / or risks that are likely to apply to all the objectives. We suggest these are included in a NE Transport Risk log to be tracked along with appropriate mitigations.

Governance and Leadership Risks

• Lack of political leadership and/or lack of alignment between political leaders.
• Lack of urgency to achieve committed timescales e.g. carbon neutral by 2030.
• Focusing on, and getting bogged down in, small incremental changes at the expense of the more widespread changes needed to achieve the objectives.
• Delays due to schemes not being initiated until the overall plan is agreed.
• Lack of clear prioritisation between objectives e.g. air quality limits need by law to be met ‘in the shortest possible timescale’ and the target for five of seven authorities is to be carbon neutral is 2030.
• Poor quality governance that means schemes, especially those that increase vehicle capacity, are implemented even if they don’t meet the NETP objectives.
• Failure to account for the longer-term impact of Covid in reducing demand for transport.
• Weak planning policies that lead to the creation of new car-dependant suburbs with no local facilities.
• Not exploring alternative revenue raising options for traffic demand management such as a workplace parking levy.

Risks relating to the selection of schemes

• Insufficient portion of the overall budget allocated to meet specific objectives.
• Too much focus on ‘encouragement’ rather than making changes to make streets safer to enable people to walk or cycle.
• Inappropriate allocation of the budget to the wrong schemes that either will not support the objectives or prevent budget being allocated to more effective, more strategically aligned, cheaper or quicker to deliver schemes.
• Over-reliance on traffic management changes, which are unlikely to achieve the objectives and risk inducing increasing traffic volumes and adding to pollution and emissions.
• A lack of measures to manage and reduce the demand for private vehicle travel.
• Promotion of headline-grabbing ‘mega-schemes’ that sound impressive but are less effective than using the same budget for a package of smaller measures.
• Continued over-reliance on traditional ‘predict and provide’ planning for new roads that assume increasing traffic levels even though the NETP objectives implicitly require that in future fewer vehicle miles will be driven than now.

Risks relating to Public Engagement

• Failing to make the case for urgent change through lack of, or poor quality public communications.
• Poor quality or overly-long consultations that delay implementation.
• Too much weight given to relatively minor objections, or issues that can be mitigated, compared to the benefits from achieving the plan objectives.
• Mixed messages vs other council policies e.g. free parking offers.

Risks relating to Implementation

• Over-reliance on modelling vs trialling changes.
• Lack of training and expertise within councils and suppliers to make the necessary change to move quickly from traditional vehicle-led design to people-led design of road schemes.

Further barriers and / or risks that apply to specific objectives are set out in the table below.

12. Are there any objectives you would have liked to see which are missing? If so, what are they?

Yes:

Better places – streets as places where we all live, play, socialize, exercise, shop & where people want to live.

13. Do you agree that individual projects will be required to submit Monitoring and Evaluation Plans?

Yes, we agree. The monitoring and evaluation plans need to assess whether schemes support achievement of the NETP objectives.

How much do you agree with the following policy statements?

31. Are there any comments you would like to make on the policy statements?

See table above.

32. Are there any policy statements which you think are missing?

Please see alternative proposals in the table above. In addition we would like to propose:

Active Travel – Streets are easier and safer to navigate for residents or visitors with limited mobility and for residents or visitors with disabilities or conditions for whom travel is a challenge.

Active Travel – There is good walking and cycling access to local community destinations including schools, shops, medical centres, work-places and transport hubs.

Active Travel – Streets are valued as places where people live, meet and socialise, and not just for travelling through.

33. What do you think of the timeline for the delivery of schemes up to 2035?

The pace of change in the plan is massively too slow and risks not achieving set targets especially:

• Achieving air quality legal limits ‘in the shortest possible timescales’.
• Achieving no fatalities or serious injuries on the regions’ road network by 2025.
• Achieving carbon neutral transport by 2030.

34. Are there any schemes which you feel are missing from this timeline? 


Schemes that support these urgent time-bound objectives should be prioritised and delivered early in the plan timescale. These can include:

• Widespread (region-wide) implementation of low traffic neighbourhoods and school streets.
• New main road crossings, in support of new safe walking and cycling networks.
• Narrowing lanes on urban main roads to 3m maximum width for improved safety for all users.
• Trial schemes to reallocate space on main roads to create wider pop-up protected cycle lanes.
• Review of speed limits to meet Vision Zero principles: 20 mph speed limits in cities, 40mph limits on rural minor roads.
• Clear Air Zones where air quality limits are currently not met.
• Using parking charges to manage and limit traffic demand in busy city centres, including workplace parking levies.
• New bus lanes, where space is not needed for walking and cycling facilities.
• Tightening entrances and exits from junctions to prevent vehicles from travelling through those junctions at high speeds, putting other users at risk.
• Better enforcement of traffic offences, including via the use of ANPR cameras.
• Improved winter maintenance of pavements and cycle lanes.
• On-street secure cycle storage (e.g. cycle hoops)
• Definition and implementation of a minimum viable cycle network that connects homes to major destinations and can then be expanded and improved on.
• Creation of a plan for a regional cycle network including traffic-free cycle links between adjacent urban areas e.g. Newcastle to Ponteland, Killingworth or Cramlington.

SPACE for Gosforth has previously submitted evidence-based suggestions for how to reduce carbon emissions to the Newcastle City Council climate change consultation, which can be found here: https://www.spaceforgosforth.com/evidence-about-climate-change/

SPACE for Gosforth has also completed a literature review to find what type of measures have evidence to show they are effective to reduce air pollution, which can be found here: https://www.spaceforgosforth.com/air-quality-what-works/

SPACE for Gosforth’s response to the Newcastle City Council Breathe Clean Air consultation, which proposes schemes to address air pollution in Newcastle can be found here: https://www.spaceforgosforth.com/tag/breathe-clean-air/

We would also like to propose the inclusion of this walking and cycling scheme by Regent Centre in Gosforth: https://www.spaceforgosforth.com/regent-centre/

35. Are there any schemes in our programme which you feel should not be included? 


Yes. Building for more traffic while at the same time forecasting less traffic is just throwing money away, and will lead to more emissions and poor health outcomes.

Link roads, corridor improvements, capacity upgrades, addressing vehicle pinch points, dual carriageways and junction upgrades are how we ended up with a climate crisis and illegal levels of air pollution. More of the same won’t address the climate crisis, won’t solve air pollution, won’t make it safer or more attractive to walk or cycle, won’t address transport poverty, and will further decimate local High Streets as people who can drive are incentivised to travel long-distances to out of town shopping centres rather than supporting local shops.

All the schemes that increase vehicle capacity and encourage more driving need to be re-examined to assess whether they will actually support the objectives or if there are better options including the use of traffic demand management to keep roads clear for those that need to drive most.

Schemes that should be re-evaluated and removed if not consistent with the objectives or if better options exist include:

• Schemes for new car parks, access roads and link roads,
• Additional lanes, dual carriageways, bypasses and any scheme that claims to improve ‘flow’,
• Junction changes designed to increase vehicle throughput, and ‘pinch point’ schemes,
• Changes to vehicle capacity made as part of ‘all user improvements’ or ‘strategic corridor improvements’, and
• Relief roads and new vehicle bridges.

36. Are there any other comments you would like to make? 


In our response to the NECA Walking and Cycling survey in 2017 we said the following, which is equally relevant to the NE Transport Plan.

The strategy [Plan] needs to recognise that every journey driven that could have been undertaken by foot or by cycle:

• Increases travelling cost for the person travelling, money that might otherwise have been spent in the local area.
• Adds to the overall cost of road maintenance.
• Worsens air quality and creates risks for other road users.
• Increases carbon emissions.
• Is a lost opportunity for fresh air and exercise.
• Creates additional demand for parking which means less land available for housing and other more productive uses.

Likewise for every neighbourhood designed to prioritise traffic over place we find:

• Children unable to play outside
• Teenagers not able to travel independently
• Older people stuck alone in their home
• And a community weakened through lack of on-street social interaction.
• Local shops and services diminished because of competition from out of town shopping centres.

Whether or not these are part of the thinking for the transport strategy, or part of its aims, these are the real life outcomes. Nor are these just words. Tens of thousands of people die early each year due to poor air quality near roads. Many more die due to other conditions and illnesses related to how we travel. For example “regular cycling cut the risk of death from any cause by 41%, the incidence of cancer by 45% and heart disease by 46%” (https://www.spaceforgosforth.com/cwis2017/)

By prioritising walking and cycling, the NECA Strategic Transport Plan can deal with air pollution, it can reduce social isolation, it can improve choice for how we travel and make neighbourhoods more accessible for those with reduced mobility. It can reduce road injuries and deaths and reduce the fear that people feel when travelling on foot or by cycle. It can enable children’s independence so they can travel to go to school or play outside with their friends. It can enable people to travel to work and make them feel better when they get there. And it can align individual and community-wide incentives to ensure the transport system as a whole is as efficient as possible.

We hope that Transport North East will seize this opportunity and put in place a robust and well-funded plan to address all these issues as a matter of urgency.

For reference, we have previously responded to two NECA consultations and a consultation by Transport for the North.

The 20 year transport manifesto for the North East, in April 2016 – https://www.spaceforgosforth.com/neca-2016/

The July 2017 NECA Walking and Cycling survey – https://www.spaceforgosforth.com/neca-survey-2017/

Transport for the North Strategic Transport Plan April 2018 – https://www.spaceforgosforth.com/tfn_consultation_questions/

The post North East Transport Plan Consultation – January 2021 appeared first on SPACE for Gosforth.

Grey skies on Gosforth High Street, May 2019

Air quality in Newcastle and Gosforth remains poor and, despite a 2018 court order requiring government to ensure legal limits are met as soon as possible, the Government has still not confirmed that Newcastle can implement its Air Pollution Plan to rid Newcastle of illegal air pollution. Since 2010, when current regulations took effect, thousands of people have died and many more made ill because of the failure to address air pollution in Newcastle.

This blog summarises the official NO₂ air pollution measurements for the calendar year 2019, which were published in October 2020.

Nitrogen Dioxide (NO₂) air pollution is easy to miss. It’s invisible and odourless but kills 360 people a year in Newcastle, Gateshead and North Tyneside and makes many more ill from asthma and other heart and lung conditions. Health effects are worse in the young and old, with people who drive for a living including bus and taxi drivers most likely to be at risk from higher exposure. In July, the Guardian reported that “there is also “compelling” evidence that air pollution significantly increases coronavirus infections, hospital admissions and deaths.”

Key points

• At most measured locations NO₂ air pollution in 2019 was worse than in 2018.
• The most significant source of this pollution continues to be emissions from road traffic.
• New monitoring has revealed further illegal levels of air pollution on the West Road and on Ponteland Road, west of the city centre.
• The worst reading in 2019 was 93 micrograms per cubic metre (μg/m³) by People’s Theatre on The Coast Road at the exit from Jesmond Park West. This is over twice the annual legal limit of 40μg/m³.
• The worst reading on Gosforth High Street in 2019 was 50μg/m³, which is higher than 2018 (44μg/m³) but less than 2017 (59μg/m³) or 2016 (51μg/m³).
• Newcastle City Council did not introduce any new measures in 2019 to improve air quality.
• No change to traffic levels on Gosforth High Street, but traffic levels across Newcastle and the North East as a whole increased in 2019.
• New readings suggest a substantial amount of ‘optimism bias‘ in the air quality model the Council is using to justify its plan to meet legal limits for air quality.

Air Pollution in Gosforth

Air pollution on Gosforth High Street remains over the annual legal limit of 40μg/m³ with the worst reading, as in previous years, at the end of Woodbine Road by Jan Forster estate agent.

No changes were made to Gosforth High Street during 2019 but changes were made to Killingworth Road, which provides an alternative driving route into Newcastle city centre for people living in north of the city. In 2017 Killingworth Road was closed for roadworks but, as we have shown previously, this didn’t lead to additional traffic on the Great North Road.

On that basis we wouldn’t expect any substantial reduction in traffic once Killingworth Road opened again to two-way traffic at the end of July 2019.

Many people have argued, incorrectly, that main-road vehicle traffic should be allowed to use local bridges, which are all on minor roads, to “relieve congestion” and “reduce pollution” on main roads. If that worked then we should have seen a reduction in traffic on Gosforth High Street and improved air quality after July 2019 when Killingworth Road re-opened, but vehicle volumes after July were little different from 2018 and pollution levels were no better. 

Air pollution in Gosforth, 2019

The 2019 measurements were all taken before the impact of Covid-19, and before changes were introduced to Gosforth High Street to support social distancing in August 2020. We have also looked at air quality in September 2020 compared to the previous two Septembers using Urban Observatory monitors to see if predictions (and claimed observations) of heightened levels of pollution due to the new changes were justified. Based on these measurements, air quality in September 2020 was generally better than in previous years, so it is not true to say pollution is worse than before. 

Urban Observatory Air Pollution averages for September 2018, 2019 and 2020. Higher values = more pollution.

Inevitably, unless the Council takes action to constrain traffic growth and emissions, traffic levels will increase again and the lower levels of pollution we experienced over the summer of 2020 will be short-lived.

In our blog Air Quality – What Works? we summarised the measures that have been shown to be effective in reducing air pollution. We used these to create a set of proposals for Gosforth as part of our response to the Newcastle City Council air quality proposal. All but two of these proposals could have been implemented prior to February 2020 so would not have been impacted by delays due to Covid-19.

Air Pollution in Newcastle City Centre

In Newcastle city centre, the Orchard Street taxi rank next to Central Station, had the worst pollution reading in 2018 of 95.6μg/m³. In 2019, this location was not monitored but a nearby monitor on Neville Street recorded 69μg/m³, the second worst reading in the city centre after Old Eldon Square on Blackett Street. In July it was reported that “Orchard Street tunnel would be pedestrianised under the station redesign plans.” 

Air quality in Newcastle City Centre

In January 2020, the Council also consulted on changes to pedestrianise Blackett Street, which would lead to much improved air quality at this busy city centre location. You can see the SPACE for Gosforth response to this consultation here. This in itself would not address wider air quality issues in the city centre though. 

The plan that should address those wider issues was to create a city centre Charging Clean Air Zone (CAZ) where drivers/operators of buses, taxis and HGVs that do not meet modern emissions standards would be required to pay a fee every day they enter the CAZ. CAZ have been described by the Government as one of the most effective ways of addressing air pollution. The proposed CAZ should help address poor air quality where buses and taxis are a high proportion of overall traffic levels as on Blackett Street and by the Central Station taxi rank. 

The Council have recently confirmed that this plan will not be implemented in January 2021 as originally intended but will be delayed to later in the year. Given current restrictions due to Covid-19 and government funding for public transport totalling over £700m so far in 2020, it is likely that the Government will need to provide further subsidy for engine upgrades if bus companies are to invest in cleaner engines.

We know that Go North East are investing in lower emission Euro 6 diesel engines and are trialling electric buses, but haven’t yet seen any plans from Stagecoach or Arriva North East who operate routes through Gosforth High Street.  

Tolls of up to £50 per day for some high-polluting to drive into Newcastle will NOT be introduced in Januaryhttps://t.co/kVO9zE1SPW

— The Chronicle (@ChronicleLive) October 22, 2020

The Council have also confirmed that plans to address air pollution on the Central Motorway by reducing the number of general traffic lanes on The Tyne Bridge have also been delayed. 

Air pollution at the south end of the Tyne Bridge was measured to be 42μg/m³ in 2019 by Gateshead Council.

Air Pollution on The Coast Road

As we said in our 2018 update, the Council’s pollution plan analysis predicted that air quality on The Coast Road would be compliant in 2021 and that no additional measures were required.

In 2019, no additional measures were implemented but rather than decreasing, pollution levels at the entrance to Jesmond Park West near People’s Theatre increased from 84μg/m³ to 93μg/m³, the worst recorded level of pollution in all of Newcastle and no doubt also the North East as a whole.

Newcastle and North Tyneside Councils need to urgently consider measures to address air pollution on The Coast Road as a CAZ by itself is unlikely to reduce air pollution levels from 93μg/m³ to 40μg/m³.

Air quality along The Coast Road and Byker

North Tyneside Council had not published its 2019 air pollution measurements at the time of writing.

Small increases in air pollution linked to rise in depression, finds study https://t.co/GBL9xyNuv2

— Guardian Environment (@guardianeco) October 24, 2020

Air Pollution in Newcastle’s West End

For the first time in 2019, Newcastle recorded measurements of air pollution at Cowgate roundabout, Ponteland Road and on the West Road. Air pollution exceeded legal limits at all three locations.

Highways England have previously confirmed to us their belief that their £139m to £184m scheme to add an additional traffic lane between Scotswood and North Brunton would resolve known air quality issues on the A1 Western Bypass, although the scheme’s Notice of Determination suggests Highways England believe an environmental impact is not necessary.

It will most likely though lead to higher levels of traffic using both Ponteland Road and West Road which, unless other measures are adopted, could make pollution levels at both locations even worse. This could be made worse still on Ponteland Road if Newcastle City Council implements its plans to ‘upgrade’ junctions that will encourage even more traffic.

Air quality in the West End of Newcastle

New Challenges

These results, for the West End and the city as a whole create a number of challenges for Newcastle City Council. 

1. A need to reassess its air quality model to remove optimism bias – as evidenced by the model prediction that air quality limits would be met by 2021 on The Coast Road even without any further intervention.
2. The need for additional measures for The Coast Road, Gosforth High Street and the West End where the CAZ by itself is unlikely to be sufficient and air pollution is unlikely to meet legal limits in 2021 without any further intervention. 
3. The need for additional funding and resources to implement these measures in the shortest possible timescales, as required by the UK High Court.
4. How to counter-act the negative environmental (and road safety) impacts of the A1 changes on local roads leading to it. 

Measurements are taken from official monitoring by Newcastle, Gateshead and North Tyneside Councils. Not all measurements are shown.

SPACE for Gosforth has previously summarised results for 2018, 2017 and 2016.

Road traffic statistics for Newcastle and the North East can be found here. These show that total miles driven in 2019 was 1,209 million miles, an increase from 1,174.6 million miles in 2018. In 2008, when Newcastle’s Air Quality Management Areas were established, it was 1084.7 million miles. Research has shown that greenhouse gas emissions are correlated with vehicle miles driven so this increase also poses a challenge for Newcastle City Council’s net zero climate plan. The same research showed no correlation between green house gas emissions and congestion.

Air Quality Monitoring Links

• Newcastle 2020 Air Quality Report
• Gateshead 2020 Air Quality Report
• North Tyneside 2020 Air Quality Report
• Newcastle Urban Observatory

For anyone interested in details of how deaths from air pollution are estimated in the UK, the Winton Centre for Risk and Evidence Communication has produced a guide.

A frequently used figure comes from a Royal College of Physicians report that concluded “Each year in the UK, around 40,000 deaths are attributable to exposure to outdoor air pollution which plays a role in many of the major health challenges of our day. It has been linked to cancer, asthma, stroke and heart disease, diabetes, obesity, and changes linked to dementia. The health problems resulting from exposure to air pollution have a high cost to people who suffer from illness and premature death, to our health services and to business. In the UK, these costs add up to more than £20 billion every year.”

A more recent report by the Committee on the Medical Effects of Air Pollutants (COMEAP) gives a similar high figure saying “the range of estimates of the annual mortality burden of human-made air pollution in the UK is estimated as an effect equivalent to 28,000 to 36,000 deaths.”

The post Air Quality Update 2019 appeared first on SPACE for Gosforth.

With Covid-19 cases rising again, and Government lock-down regulations further restricting how businesses operate, it is more important than ever that local streets support social distancing so that people feel safe and can confidently go out and use local shops and services. Updated government guidance (at 23/9/2020) also reconfirms the recommendation that for local journeys you should “walk or cycle if you can” to “reduce pressure on public transport and the road network.”

The Council has confirmed that its initial trial “social distancing layout” for Gosforth High Street is complete and is seeking feedback on the changes that have been made. As at the end of September, the majority of people who have provided feedback feel that the new layout is not effective in meeting the objectives to support social distancing and support walking and cycling.

Does this layout support social distancing? Or walking and cycling?

Why have the changes been made?

The changes made to Gosforth High Street are part of the UK Government’s response to Covid-19, which has included a wide range of new regulations and recommendations about how, when and where we can travel, and who we can meet. Covid-19, as we now know, is approximately 10 times more deadly than flu, can lead to “significant ongoing health problems” and it has recently been reported that only 18% of people with COVID systems adhere to self-isolation.

The Government’s statutory guidance, issued in May 2020, stated that “Local authorities in areas with high levels of public transport use should take measures to reallocate road space to people walking and cycling, both to encourage active travel and to enable social distancing” and that those changes be implemented “as swiftly as possible.”

The government’s rationale for encouraging people to walk or cycle are:

1. Because public transport capacity is reduced and if people stop cycling and drive instead then roads will be even busier than they are now.
2. Because walking and cycling help improve fitness, and there is “a significant link between COVID-19 recovery and fitness”.
3. Because walking and cycling are “affordable, deliver significant health benefits, have been shown to improve wellbeing, mitigate congestion [and] improve air quality.”

Gosforth has always had a high level of public transport use, both because of the Metro and the many buses that use the Great North Road, so is exactly the sort of location the Government intended to target with its guidance.

The Council say they will consider feedback after a three week review period that started on 11 September. If you have any thoughts on the scheme, including suggestions for how to make it better support physical distancing and walking and cycling, you can provide feedback at https://safegosforthhighstreet.commonplace.is

In this blog we look at aspects of the trial scheme that we think have worked, and where improvements could be made to better support the objectives set by central government.

Regent Centre

What has changed?

• One of the south-bound traffic lanes has been reallocated to enable the pavement on the east side next to Gosforth Central Middle School to be made wider.
• The existing cycle lanes north and south-bound have both been protected by a row of wands.

As we said above, one of the government’s objectives is to encourage active travel to reduce pressure on the road network. This photo from November 2019 shows how danger for people walking and cycling was designed-in to the existing road layout.

Regent Centre traffic camera – November 2019

This section of the Great North Road has always been the weakest link in the cycle route linking Brunton Lane to Little Moor via Moor Road North and Moor Road South. Adding protection to the cycle lane here addresses many of the issues in the picture above and makes this section far safer for people to cycle.

The pavement along this stretch is also narrow, and on the east side the width is further reduced by guardrail. Adding to the width of the pavement here helps social distancing, especially when the pavement is busy around school drop off and pick up times. Removing the railings would add further to the space available for people to walk.

Extra space for walking and a protected cycle lane next to Regent Centre

This more recent traffic camera picture below shows how the cycle lane is now protected in both directions, and how cars heading southbound are now directed towards the middle of the road. Prior to this change it was common for cars to cut into the cycle lane where it passes next to the pedestrian crossing, creating a risk for people cycling.

Traffic Camera view of the Metro bridge at Regent Centre

Changing this has made little difference to vehicle traffic as very few buses use this section of road and other vehicles heading south have to filter into the right hand lane after Christon Road  anyway.

There are still issues though. The north-bound lane cycling lane is only partially protected and its still not unusual to find yourself in a situation like in the photo below where the cycle lane directs you into a dangerous position on the inside of an HGV.

Protecting the cycle at this point would help substantially. It would also help to remove a section of railings just north of Asda to allow access to and from Asda without having to use Hollywood Avenue.

Unprotected cycle lane in the HGVs blind spot next to Regent Centre

We have also highlighted previously that the crossing by Christon Road is not large enough. If this were a single stage crossing, there would be plenty of space for both walking and cycling, and the crossing itself could be adapted by simply removing the railings giving more space for everyone to cross. This would also reduce the danger to children stuck at the edge of the crossing.

Children crossing the Great North Road by Christon Road – picture taken July 2019

Christon Road to Salters Road

What has changed?

• One of the north-bound traffic lanes has been reallocated to create a protected cycle lane.
• There is now only one traffic lane entering the Salters Road junction heading south-bound.

This is another section of road that previously most people would not have been willing to cycle but now can, at least if heading north. The lane is interrupted by the bus stop, and some people might find the speed humps uncomfortable, but both could be easily resolved if further funding is released by government. Initial government funding only covered low-cost temporary materials.

North-bound cycle lane just south of Henry Street.

South-bound, there are no additional facilities for walking or cycling, though the pavement is wide enough already. Rather than hashing out the central section of the road (as shown in the picture below), it would have been possible to create a protected cycle lane heading southbound from the end of the bus lane to connect to the advanced stop line at the traffic lights.

Traffic Camera looking north from Salters Road

Salters Road to St Nicholas Avenue

What has changed?

• One of the north-bound traffic lanes has been reallocated to enable the pavement on the west side of the road to be widened.
• The north-bound road layout at Salters Road junction is substantially unchanged and there is still one north-bound / left-turn lane and one right-turn lane.
• Railings have been removed by the Queen Victoria pub and replaced with a row of wands to widen the pavement.

Outside Barluga and Trinity Church wands have been used to widen the pavement. These are the same type of wands as have been used north of Salters Road for the cycle lane, but we  know this is intended for walking because the give way markings at West Avenue have been moved in line with the wands. If it was for cycling, the give way lines should have remained where they were to give priority to people travelling along the main road.

An even better arrangement would be to move the give way lines to before the pavement so people walking along the main road also have priority as we proposed in 2016, or make the current road exit into permanent pavement like at Woodbine Road, effectively expanding Trinity Square across the ends of West Avenue and Ivy Road.

Junction of West Avenue and Gosforth High Street

There are still narrow sections of pavement on the west side, especially at the north end of the High Street. In the picture below, there’s little extra space to queue for the bus, and cafe seating (which normally would be a good thing) further reduces the pavement width to less than 2m.

Cafe Corsaro

Next to Salters Road by the junction, the extra pavement space is not well used. If this is to be retained as pavement then the railings would need to be removed and a more substantial barrier inserted where the wands are to protect people from moving traffic. Alternatively it could be repurposed as a cycle lane to enable people cycling to access the advance stop line and the cycle lane heading north at the far side of the junction.

Junction of Gosforth High Street and Salters Road / Church Road

While the west side of the High Street has space for social distancing along most of its length, the east side still does not. The pavement outside Gosforth Shopping Centre is not much wider than 2m, far short of the 4m advertised in the proposal. The south-bound traffic lane next to the pavement is only lightly used, so it could easily be converted to extra pavement space.

Rook Matthews Sayer, Outside Gosforth Shopping Centre

Adding to the pavement here would also create space for people to wait for the pedestrian crossing, and reduce the width of the crossing.

The one section of the pavement on the east side that has been widened is by the Queen Victoria pub, previously one of the narrowest pavements on the High Street. Here the Council have removed railings that used to cramp the pavement so now the full width of the pavement is available for use. Not being able to use the full pavement width is an issue for much of the High Street because of bollards and other street furniture.

New wider pavement on the east of the High Street next to the Queen Victoria pub

St Nicholas Avenue to Hawthorn Road

What has changed?

• Part of the north-bound traffic lane has been reallocated to enable the pavement on the west side of the road to be widened.

For most of the road between St Nicholas Avenue and The County very few measures have been taken to support social distancing or enable walking or cycling. This is one of the widest sections of the High Street being over 12m for most of its length. That’s space for two 3m road lanes, two 1.5m cycle lanes with plenty of space left for a bus lay by or loading. For comparison, the road lanes outside Gosforth Shopping Centre prior to these changes were each approximately 2.5m wide.

This section of the High Street would also be the perfect place should local businesses want to try something like a car-free Saturday, as has proved a success at Park View in Whitley Bay.

Looking north from The County pub. No measures implemented here.

By St Nicholas Avenue extra space has been marked out and, while people mostly stay on the existing pavement, people are using the extra space to overtake or enable others to pass if walking in the opposite direction. In these locations, at least, the one-way walking arrows could be removed.

Traffic camera view showing busy pavements and a queue outside Flowercraft

South of Hawthorn Road

What has changed?

• The existing south-bound cycle lane has been protected by wands.
• A new protected cycle lane has been created north-bound, also using wands.

The south-bound lane still suffers in part from being blocked by parking, but the wands do make it safer for people cycling on this section of road.

South-bound cycle lane opposite Elmfield Road

The extra north bound lane means people cycling north can continue to Hawthorn Road before turning left rather than having to turn into Elmfield Road, which is narrow and frequently uncomfortable because of high levels of traffic.

It also means people who want to social distance can step into the cycle lane briefly if they need to pass someone, without risking being hit by a car or a bus.

North bound cycle lane between Elmfield Road and Hawthorn Avenue.

Emergency Services

Despite the High Street still being very wide (approximately 9m in the picture below), we know some people have shared concerns about traffic holding up emergency services. We don’t have access to specific figures but it is a reasonable assumption that heavy traffic could have an impact. This would be the case whether this scheme had been implemented or not.

The Blue Light Aware website contains instructional videos for how to drive if an emergency vehicle needs to get past and is well worth a look. Even better – leave your car at home when you can, to avoid adding to the traffic.

Ambulance with blue lights next to Trinity Square.

There are a number of potential options that could be considered to improve the design for emergency services, while also helping to meet the objectives of the scheme:

1. Replacing wands with bolt-down kerbs that cars can drive over if needed to get out of the way.
2. Better enforcement and / or updating road markings to prevent parked cars obstructing emergency vehicles.
3. Creating a 2-way cycle lane that emergency services can use to bypass traffic if needed, but which can be used at other times by people cycling, scooting or mobility scooters.
4. Remove the kerb separating north and south-bound traffic lanes by Regent Centre.

We do know that data from Waltham Forest where low-traffic neighbourhoods have been implemented showed no adverse impact on emergency response times.

Air Pollution

While it’s too early to draw any lasting conclusions, air pollution measurements from the Urban Observatory suggest that air quality on Gosforth High Street in September 2020 has generally been better than in previous Septembers. The map below shows the location of monitors and nitrogen dioxide (NO₂) concentrations in September 2018, 2019 and 2020. Figures highlighted in red are above the annual average legal limit of 40μg/m³.

Urban Observatory Air Pollution averages for September 2018, 2019 and 2020. Higher values = more pollution.

Main Road Traffic Re-Routing via Minor Roads

A concern we highlighted in our blog Enabling Businesses to Open Safely on Gosforth High Street from July was the potential for traffic to re-route via minor roads rather than staying on the main road network. Since then UK-wide data has been released showing that in the last ten years across the UK traffic levels on minor roads has increased dramatically, believed to be largely due to the use of sat navs in cars. Google itself has published an article on this Google Maps 101: How AI helps predict traffic and determine routes.

Our experience locally is that current traffic levels are no worse than in 2019, but 2019 levels of traffic on minor roads, including on Moor Road north and south, are still unacceptable. Hollywood Avenue and the area around Stoneyhurst Road have been much improved by the installation of “point closures” to stop main road traffic using these routes as an alternative. The same approach needs to be used on minor roads either side of Gosforth High Street to make them safe as well.

Cycling Routes

For cycling more generally, we have seen suggestions that everyone should use the Moor Road North / Moor Road South route. This is a bit like suggesting cars are banned from Gosforth High Street and should use the A1 western bypass instead.

All types of transport rely on having a network or grid of routes, the only difference being the density of the grid. Walking should be possible via all streets, cycling via a grid of about 400m (the distance between parallel routes) or less near major destinations, and driving with a grid > 1km other than for access. Within those grids, some routes might be defined as being for longer journeys, like the A1, and others like Gosforth High Street for accessing local destinations.

The map below shows a possible grid of cycling routes, that also shows how Gosforth High Street currently acts as a barrier for east / west journeys. One main reason more people don’t cycle is danger from vehicle traffic. In Newcastle’s twin city of Groningen where safe routes have been provided, 61% of all trips are made by bicycle, including more than 70% for trips made to educational institutions.

A possible grid of cycle routes to access shops and services on Gosforth High Street.

Next Steps

One option would be just to remove the scheme and revert back to how it was. While that might have an advantage of familiarity, it would do nothing to help achieve the government’s objectives to enable physical distancing and help people to walk or cycle. Many of the responses to the Council’s survey mention pollution and congestion, but Gosforth High Street has long been one of the most polluted, congested streets in Newcastle, and also has a poor safety record. Returning it to its original layout would not solve any of these concerns.

A High Street that is polluted, noisy and dangerous, and where social distancing is difficult, will not help local businesses. if we want a street that is less polluted, less noisy and less dangerous, that can only happen if space is made available, as the government has instructed, to allow people to walk and cycle safely. If that does impact journey times for vehicles, and we can’t be certain for a few months until changes have bedded in whether it will or not, then the Council will have to decide if it values a cleaner, safer High Street or if priority will be given to passing traffic.

If you haven’t already, please do take a few minutes to provide feedback to the Council via https://safegosforthhighstreet.commonplace.is

Update 11/12/2020

Newcastle City Council have released their report on the High Street measures, stating that “the social distancing measures on Gosforth High Street between Regents Centre and Elmfield Road should remain in place” and that “the review panel has decided that the benefits to people’s health and the local economy far outweigh the criticisms.” There is a link to the detail report at the end of the Council news story.

Some key findings from the report:

• The initial high congestion levels have settled into a pattern now that schools have returned.
• Air quality has not been degraded and as mode use continues to alter, this is likely to settle further.
• Bus operators are now finding little delay southbound.
• No issues reported by the fire and ambulance services.

Recommendations in the report:

• The northbound section from Hawthorn Terrace to Salters Road should be reserved for those on foot and marked appropriately. The use will be clarified with pedestrian symbols on the carriageway and the ends of the widened sections are to be closed.
• Communications around the purpose and operation of the scheme should be improved. The directional arrows upon pavements should be removed.

The Council feedback website is still open if you wish to provide any further feedback or suggestions for how to improve the scheme: https://safegosforthhighstreet.commonplace.is

The SPACE for Gosforth response

The following is the SPACE for Gosforth response to the Council regarding the initial temporary measures. This was sent on 4 October 2020.

I am writing on behalf of SPACE for Gosforth to respond to the Council’s Safe Gosforth High Street consultation.

I have attached a pdf copy of our detail review, which is also published here: https://www.spaceforgosforth.com/safe-gosforth-high-street/

While the scheme isn’t quite what was advertised, there are some good parts, which we have tried to highlight in the article, especially the Regent Centre changes and protecting the cycle lanes south of The County. Where the pavement has been widened, the High Street does feel more comfortable to use on foot, even if it is not as clear as it could be which parts are widened pavement and which are cycle lane.

Having reviewed the Commonplace feedback though, it looks like many of those that have fed back do not think the initial layout is effective (or sufficient?) to support social distancing or to enable more walking and cycling, while others appear to be trying to second-guess or challenge the government guidance on social distancing.

Much of the negative feedback appears to be related to the inevitable short-term disruption, which wasn’t helped by A1 works or the gas works on Jesmond Dene Road. These talk about congestion and pollution, but we have looked at pollution figures, published in the blog, which show September this year had cleaner air on average than either September 2019 or September 2018. Arguably also, a few minutes extra on a short journey is also a small inconvenience compared say to not being able to see friends or family, mandatory self-isolation for vulnerable groups or the closures of schools over the summer term.

To some extent, this is just the nature of the trial process, which we support, that you have to try something and then adapt from there. Hopefully the large amount of feedback provided will enable you to do that and the next iteration of the scheme will better enable social distancing and further improve facilities for walking and cycling.

Some additional points from us:

1. Government guidance for travel (at 30/9/2020) still says walking and cycling should be the preferred modes of travel, and that we should all maintain 2 metre distance where possible to minimise risk of transmission. https://www.gov.uk/guidance/coronavirus-covid-19-safer-travel-guidance-for-passengers
2. There needs to be some explainable logic linked to that guidance as to where on the High Street wider pavement is needed (or not needed) for social distancing, where a cycle lane that allows people on foot to pass is sufficient, and where the pavement can be left as is. Currently the scheme contains a mix of approaches, including some pavements that are not much wider than 2m, which we think will be adding to people’s unease.
3. In some places the road width is still up to 9m wide, which encourages vehicle speeding and overtaking outside peak hours, and on multiple occasions I have seen cars racing off the line heading south from St Nicholas Av. While acknowledging the need for deliveries and emergency services to pass we think this needs to be addressed, not least so the extra space can be used in support of the scheme objectives to enable social distancing and active travel. We have included some ideas to support emergency services in our review.
4. Both the Grey Street and bridges schemes have benefited from inclusion of change to improve the look and feel such as planters. It would be useful to consider this for Gosforth High Street as well. Extra cycle parking, like the rack designed to look like a parked car on Collingwood Street, could also be installed at the end of Hawthorn Road or St Nicholas Avenue.
5. It would also show some joined-up thinking if the next iteration considered streets either side of the High Street and what needs to be done to allow social distancing there e.g. Regent Centre, Christon Road, and prevent main road traffic from re-routing e.g. Linden Road, Elmfield Road, Moor Road North, Moor Road South.
6. It’s good to see the walk to school week comms but prior to this Council comms have been fairly infrequent whereas most guidance on situations where people are being asked to change what they do recommend frequent reinforcement of the objectives and benefits of the change. Transport for Greater Manchester have done a lot on this and I expect they may be willing for other authorities to re-use their materials? e.g. https://twitter.com/OfficialTfGM/status/1312393231456501762

The post Safe Gosforth High Street appeared first on SPACE for Gosforth.

The Government and Council’s initial response to COVID-19 has been, quite rightly, to ensure people are safe and well, protect jobs and critical services, and to minimise the spread of the virus. Already by mid-April 2020 the virus has killed thousands of people in the UK alone, and left unchecked would kill many many more.

On March 23rd the Government announced lock-down, telling many businesses to close and no one to leave their house other than for a few essential reasons. Schools were also to close, other than for children of key workers, including those that work in the NHS, local and national government and key government services.

With schools closed and many of us now working from home, traffic levels in Newcastle have dropped substantially, as seen in the graph below from the Urban Observatory. Buses and Metro are running almost empty and instead many more people are out walking and cycling on local streets on their way to work, to shop for essentials or for exercise.

Air quality has started to improve (see the graph below for PM2.5 fine particulates on Gosforth High Street from the Urban Observatory). This would be beneficial for health under normal circumstances, but is especially so now as air pollution is correlated with a higher coronavirus death rate. According to a Harvard University study “an increase of only 1 μg/m³ in PM2.5 is associated with a 15% increase in the COVID-19 death rate.”

COVID-19 Transport Challenges

City Transport Planners no longer have to focus on managing high volumes of traffic through constrained urban junctions, or worry about vehicle delays and traffic jams.

The transport ‘behaviour change’ that Council Policy has long advocated for people to walk or cycle more to improve health has started to happen as traffic levels have declined, although speeding vehicles are still an issue.

People, especially doctors, nurses and other key workers still need to be able to travel though and, if walking or cycling, deserve to be protected from road danger. And the wider impact of how we travel on health needs to be considered to give us the best chance to beat the virus and minimise the burden on the NHS.

These all lead to some new questions for transport planners to answer, and in some cities they are already answering with physical changes being implemented.

1. How can key workers, and others that cannot work from home, travel to work given the recommendation to avoid public transport? This is especially important for those without access to a car.
2. How to ensure people can follow social distancing rules, in particular the 2m rule, and minimise transmission of the virus?
3. How to enable exercise with all its physical and mental health benefits to offset the impact of isolation, and reduce pressure on parks and open spaces?
4. How to minimise the number of traffic collisions to reduce non-COVID-19 pressure on the NHS?  (“Lowering the Baseline“)
5. How to get air pollution lower still, to minimise its impact on COVID-19 death rates and further reduce pressure on the NHS?
6. How to plan for when restrictions are eased but social distancing still means many fewer (perhaps only 20% or 1 in 5 of pre-virus) people can use public transport?

https://twitter.com/citycyclists/status/1250672383490473984?s=20

How are Cities Responding?

Newcastle City Council has responded with a very generous offer of free parking for key workers, potentially costing the Council millions of pounds in foregone charges, as it is not clear that this is something the Government will refund.

This would make no sense under normal circumstances but, now traffic volumes are much smaller, parking charges are not so important for managing traffic levels or air pollution.

To continue to support key workers we are extending free #parking in all of our on and off street spaces in #Newcastle while #coronavirus #COVID19 lockdown arrangements are in place.

Read all about it: https://t.co/mAWzCqzles pic.twitter.com/k2FraTVS7y

— NewcastleCityCouncil (@NewcastleCC) April 14, 2020

Berlin, on the other hand is massively expanding safe traffic-free bicycle lanes to enable doctors, nurses and other key workers to travel to work, making roads safer, reducing hospital admissions due to traffic collisions and helping to minimise air pollution. As well as helping those without access to a car, it gives an additional cheap and healthy option for those that do.

This also creates a further option for exercise and, if retained as lockdown is eased, enables others without access to vehicle a way of travelling longer distances within the city without having to use public transport.

A lot of cities are talking about making wider bike infra during the #coronavirus crisis. In Berlin, they're going ballistic doing it. @PBroytman sent me this amazing gallery: https://t.co/jYR1nqOL7T AMAZING. pic.twitter.com/wAwhNat0CV

— Mikael Colville-Andersen (@colvilleandersn) April 10, 2020

In Sydney, Australia, pedestrian crossings have been changed to give an automatic green light rather than needing to press a button. Surfaces that are touched frequently, like pedestrian crossing buttons, lift buttons, petrol pumps or door handles are a known transmission risk, so this has the potential to reduce transmission of the virus. This is also why it is important to wash hands when returning home and avoid touching your face.

https://twitter.com/andrewconstance/status/1241872088249413632

In the West Midlands, NHS workers have been offered free travel on buses and trams. This is clearly a welcome gesture for those that have no choice but to use local buses or trams but of limited use given Government guidance to avoid public transport if at all possible.

I am pleased to announce that all NHS staff can now travel for free on buses and trams in the West Midlands. NHS workers are putting their lives on the line day after day to tackle Coronavirus, and we should be doing all we can to support them.https://t.co/bphffqxknZ pic.twitter.com/9cmyAODeBj

— Andy Street (@andy4wm) April 2, 2020

On the Isle of Man, the maximum speed limit including on rural roads has been set to 40mph. Reducing the speed limit means that crashes are less frequent and, when they do happen, less severe. This again helps reduce hospital admissions due to traffic collisions.

Reducing speed limits is one of the suggestions made by the Lower the Baseline campaign as outlined in this British Medical Journal blog. Baseline, in this case, meaning the number of hospital admissions for reasons not related to COVID-19 so that the NHS can maximise resources available to treat people who do have COVID-19.

To ALL motorists on the Isle of Man.

Please be advised that as of midnight tonight, there will be a maximum speed limit of 40mph on all roads over 40mph. You should observe 20mph and 30mph signs as normal.#40ToSaveLives pic.twitter.com/2L3jXvOdBR

— TweetbeatIOM #RespectIOM (@TweetbeatIOM) March 27, 2020

A number of American cities have closed streets to through traffic, substantially reducing traffic levels on those streets but retaining access for vehicles that need it. In our blog Lots of children want to cycle to school, but hardly any do. How do we make space for child cycling in Gosforth? we shared UK research that showed this was one of the types of roads that parents would be happy to use cycling with their children.

Boston, Minneapolis, Oakland and other cities have temporarily banned through traffic on streets, giving pedestrians and cyclists extra elbow room during the coronavirus pandemic-Cities Close Streets to Cars, Opening Space for Social Distancing – The NYT https://t.co/D8DQSPIHqB

— IFPedestrians (@IFPedestrians) April 12, 2020

In  Hackney, East London, a similar approach is being taken showing that it is possible to implement access-only streets quickly in the UK.

#Hackney (#London) announces plans to "filter" streets, to protect people from rat running drivers & ease pressure on parks & open spaces during #COVID19 crisis – https://t.co/nZQc5kEHZy https://t.co/d8U3P4uNhp thanks @laura_laker

— IFPedestrians (@IFPedestrians) April 12, 2020

In Liverpool, the no-cycling restriction on the Queensway Tunnel is being relaxed so people who need to can use the route for essential journeys.

To assist key workers making essential journeys cross river, the Queensway (Birkenhead) Tunnel will temporarily be open to cyclists

Before using your bike in the tunnel, please check the information on our website👇https://t.co/LjVlqgv0rc pic.twitter.com/sfWXfDMRV3

— Merseytravel (@Merseytravel) April 14, 2020

In Barnes, in London, local businesses have taken the initiative to cone off part of the road for people to use on foot or when queuing for shops.

Good feedback to this great initiative by local businesses with help from @BarnesCommAssoc & @FriendsBC -reallocating road space for pedestrians to allow residents to respect social distancing guidelines while queuing outside shops.Hope @LBRUT are watching. Pic by @charliecampion pic.twitter.com/X6WAyoTUNB

— Raphael ZY🇪🇺 (@raphaelzy3) April 10, 2020

In Washington DC, cones and barriers have been used where there are narrow pavements, to allow people to pass without having to step into the road. Now there is much less vehicle traffic, it makes sense to reallocate space to where it is most needed.

https://twitter.com/CatrionaSwanson/status/1248876216758796289

Perhaps the two most impressive responses so far are from France and New Zealand.

In France, the government has confirmed that it is planning on cycling being the principal transport mode once restrictions are eased. Certainly if the vast majority of public transport users were to drive instead, as may well happen if cities do not intervene, then congestion, pollution, road danger and greenhouse gas emissions would all increase substantially. For the UK, that in addition to COVID-19 would place a substantial burden on the NHS.

https://twitter.com/citycyclists/status/1250401656870703104

In New Zealand, the government has confirmed a new ‘tactical urbanism’ fund. People have already changed how, when and why they travel as a result of COVID-19. This fund will support cities to implement changes that support these new patterns of movement.

Seizing an opportunity for rapid and radical change. Tactical urbanism in New Zealand to fund pop-up bike lanes, and widened sidewalks during lockdown https://t.co/4wxSvS7RcX

— Tom Rushby (@tom_rushby) April 14, 2020

These are all just examples of what cities are doing. We have included a longer list below and the American Pedestrian and Bicycle Information centre is also maintaining a list here. If you are on Twitter, you might want to follow @BrentToderian, @citycyclists and @MikeLydon, all of whom have shared multiple examples on their Twitter feeds.

What is perhaps most striking about these changes is how quick they have been implemented. Covid-19 is a genuine crisis, and in an emergency authorities need to react quickly expediting normal processes if required.

COVID-19 vs Air Pollution deaths

Many of the changes proposed above and in the longer list below will also support a reduction in air pollution, and as a result a reduction in people suffering and dying from conditions caused by air pollution. Reducing air pollution will also help reduce chronic respiratory and heart diseases that make it harder for someone to recover from COVID-19.

Right now, COVID-19 is the absolute priority and the graph below illustrate why. 40,000 deaths per year in the UK from air pollution equates to approximately 12 deaths per million per week vs 40 per week from COVID-19 and accelerating fast in week 7 in the USA.

Over time though, air pollution is still a substantial threat to health so Governments and Local Authorities need to ensure that in responding to COVID-19 they are not delaying further the urgent action that is required to address the threat from air pollution. It is likely that there will be further future COVID-19 outbreaks, after the one we are in now, and if air pollution can be cut that will help reduce death rates in those future outbreaks.

Source: https://twitter.com/VincentRK/status/1251140496870735872

WHO Technical Guidance: Moving around during the COVID-19 outbreak

Link: http://www.euro.who.int/en/health-topics/health-emergencies/coronavirus-covid-19/novel-coronavirus-2019-ncov-technical-guidance/coronavirus-disease-covid-19-outbreak-technical-guidance-europe/moving-around-during-the-covid-19-outbreak

ACTIVE TRAVEL CHANGES

Sydney, Australia
Automated pedestrian crossings.
Source: https://twitter.com/andrewconstance/status/1241872088249413632

Queensland, Australia
Automated pedestrian crossings.
Source: https://twitter.com/TMRQld/status/1244746383262912519

Brussels, Belgium
Brussels adapts >100 traffic lights in favor of cyclists and pedestrians. Waiting times reduced by 20sec (average), some up to 40sec.
Source: https://twitter.com/dimitristrobbe/status/1246092862653153280

Brussels is putting massive plant pots in the streets to create extra space for walking and cycling
Source: https://twitter.com/citycyclists/status/1250157191778222080

Seattle, Washington, USA
Changing signal times to reduce wait times for people walking and cycling.
Source: https://twitter.com/seattledot/status/1248762875025465346

Bogotá, Columbia
22km of new in-street bikeways are being created “overnight,” by turning a lane for cars into two-way bike-lanes
Source: https://twitter.com/BrentToderian/status/1239581801279942659

Calgary, Canada
Testing weekend road closures on 6 major roads, disabled 50 pedestrian ‘beg buttons’
Source: https://twitter.com/BrentToderian/status/1244000505262563330

Berlin, Germany
Replacing car lanes with new cycle paths
Source: https://twitter.com/philipoltermann/status/1244189207867854848
Also: https://twitter.com/colvilleandersn/status/1248645263457214464

Bristol, UK
Replacing part of the road with a running lane (unofficial)
Source: https://twitter.com/DrLouisRice/status/1243913532544028679

New Zealand
Government fund for pop-up bike lanes and widened sidewalks
Source: https://twitter.com/tom_rushby/status/1250033398053289984

Denver, Colorado, USA
Some Denver streets will close to cars
Source: https://twitter.com/MikeLydon/status/1246500510116577281

Budapest, Hungary
Budapest to install bike lanes will help traffic during the pandemic, and encourage greater use of cycling as people start to return to work.
Source: https://twitter.com/PatrickDuce/status/1247807344517369856

Oakland, California, USA
74 miles of street closures
Source: https://twitter.com/ashk4n/status/1248442190017122304
Also (video): https://twitter.com/carltonreid/status/1249987195324239872

Brookline, Massachusetts, USA
Sidewalk widening
Source: https://twitter.com/MassDCR/status/1248670215300358152
Also: https://twitter.com/BlineTransport/status/1250512090617516032

Washington DC, USA
Wider sidewalks
Source: https://twitter.com/CatrionaSwanson/status/1248876216758796289

France
Bicycle to be the principal transport mode to enable social distancing
Source: https://twitter.com/citycyclists/status/1250401656870703104

Berkeley, California, USA
Repurposing streets for essential traffic only (unofficial)
Source: https://twitter.com/WalkBikeBerk/status/1250278699645067264

Liverpool, UK
To assist key workers making essential journeys cross river, the Queensway (Birkenhead) Tunnel will temporarily be open to cyclists
Source: https://twitter.com/Merseytravel/status/1250077816345047042

London, UK
TfL considers measures during lockdown to help physical distancing
Source: https://twitter.com/EmmaGibsonLTW/status/1250343251552305152

Hackney, London, UK
Filtered streets to protect people from rat running drivers and ease pressure on parks and open spaces.
Source: https://twitter.com/london_cycling/status/1250065125933043717

Burlington, Vermont, USA
17.5 miles of slow streets.
Source: https://twitter.com/MikeLydon/status/1250054691347738627

Manchester, UK
Filtered neighbourhood streets
Source: https://twitter.com/NQForum/status/1249315086684106752

Brighton and Hove, UK
Roads reclaimed by pedestrians and pedal power
Source: https://twitter.com/citycyclists/status/1249607388883279872

Montreal, Canada
A parking lane will be closed along a 2.7km stretch of Mont-Royal Avenue, to make it easier for people to walk to shopping.
Source: https://twitter.com/BrentToderian/status/1248076792683888640

North Vancouver, Canada
Road closed other than to cycles
Source: https://twitter.com/jordanback/status/1248670445743661057

Edmonton, Brampton, Montreal, Kitchener, Vancouver & Winnipeg, Canada
Bicycle / active transportation routes.
Source (see thread): https://twitter.com/g_meslin/status/1248434325692923904
Also (Vancouver): https://twitter.com/cfulgham/status/1248326654537195525

Barnes, UK
Pavement widening next to shops
Source: https://twitter.com/raphaelzy3/status/1248604675764436996

Austin, Texas, USA
Removing car lanes to create cycle lanes
Source: https://twitter.com/citycyclists/status/1248908428963131392

San Francisco
Rapid transformation to prioritise transit and cycling
Source: https://twitter.com/KCGrock/status/1248019256282738689

DesMoines, Iowa, USA
Opening streets around a park for social distancing.
Source: https://twitter.com/LenaGReynolds/status/1250127581535404037

Milan, Italy
Turning 35km of streets over to cyclists and pedestrians
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/apr/21/milan-seeks-to-prevent-post-crisis-return-of-traffic-pollution

PRIVATE VEHICLE / PUBLIC TRANSPORT CHANGES

London, UK
Road user charging suspended
Source: https://twitter.com/TfL/status/1241085664050937860

Isle of Man, UK
Reduced speed limit to 40mph max.
Source: https://twitter.com/TweetbeatIOM/status/1243579094207520769

Vienna, Austria
Reduced speed limits, people asked to walk in the streets
Source: https://twitter.com/citycyclists/status/1248708352064045056

Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
Free parking
Source: https://twitter.com/NewcastleCC/status/1250121831517958147

West Midlands, UK
Free bus and tram travel for NHS workers
Source: https://twitter.com/andy4wm/status/1245752164208836610

SUMMARY ARTICLES

Can we improve the NHS’s ability to tackle covid-19 through emergency public health interventions?
Source: https://blogs.bmj.com/bmj/2020/03/24/can-we-improve-the-nhss-ability-to-tackle-covid-19-through-emergency-public-health-interventions/

TOP 10 WAYS cities can create NEW space on streets for people walking & biking close to home while #PhysicalDistancing during the #COVIDー19 pandemic, video by Brent Toderian
Source: https://twitter.com/BrentToderian/status/1248289951868801024

Op-Ed: Let’s Build a Network of ‘Quiet Streets’, John Massengale, StreetsBlogNYC
Source: https://nyc.streetsblog.org/2020/03/30/op-ed-lets-build-a-network-of-quiet-streets/

To help get essential workers around, cities are revising traffic patterns, suspending public transit fares, and making more room for bikes and pedestrians. CityLab article
Source: https://www.citylab.com/transportation/2020/04/coronavirus-city-street-public-transit-bike-lanes-covid-19/609190/

World cities turn their streets over to walkers and cyclists
Source: https://twitter.com/dbornat/status/1248890401634779136

Coronavirus: Cycling numbers in Scotland jump during lockdown
Source: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-52269964

Massive shift from public transport to private car in China as a result of Covid-19
Source: https://twitter.com/giulio_mattioli/status/1248969813776633858

Financial Times: “The growth in demand for bikes reflects in part a reluctance among healthcare staff to commute on public transport services”
Source: https://twitter.com/citycyclists/status/1248899401248133120

Opinion: the magic of empty streets – New York Times
Source: https://www.nytimes.com/2020/04/08/opinion/coronavirus-tips-new-york-san-francisco.html

Transport in the time of the Coronavirus crisis: what we need to do NOW, Road danger reduction forum
Source: https://rdrf.org.uk/2020/04/11/transport-in-the-time-of-the-coronavirus-crisis-what-we-need-to-do-now/

How Councils and Transport professionals can work on active travel to address the impact of Covid 19, Mark Strong.
Source: https://twitter.com/ibikebrighton/status/1249830229369069573

Tracker for how cities respond – Mike Lydon & ITDP US
Source: https://twitter.com/ITDPUS/status/1249788874118791168

US National Association of City Transportation Officials (NACTO) COVID-19: Transportation Response Center

The post How are city transport planners responding to COVID-19? appeared first on SPACE for Gosforth.

Newcastle City Council have proposed that Blackett Street and parts of New Bridge Street are made into a pedestrian area linking Northumberland Street, Monument and Old Eldon Square. This blog is our response to the Council’s consultation.

The other changes to the City Centre proposed alongside the Blackett Street plan include:

• Buses that previously used Blackett Street will now use the new bus loop (for a map see our response below).
• Revised arrangements for access and deliveries to minimise traffic in the new pedestrian areas.
• A new pedestrian and event space on Ridley Place at the north end of Northumberland Street.
• New / relocated disabled parking and taxi ranks.
• Cycling infrastructure on adjoining junctions.

More details of the proposals and a link to the consultation (which finishes on 31 January 2020) can be found here.

Dear Councillor Ainsley,

Re: Transforming our city

Thank you for the opportunity to comment on the Council’s proposals relating to Blackett Street and surrounding areas.

We wholeheartedly support the Council’s ambition for Newcastle upon Tyne to be “A place that has cleaner air and puts people first, and where public transport and healthy, active travel, such as cycling, and walking is a choice for everyone.”

Currently air quality on Blackett Street and New Bridge Street is poor; almost double the legal limit for air pollution in 2018. Large numbers of buses dominate the street, putting people at risk, in some cases with tragic consequences. On Blackett Street in February 2019, a gentleman was killed on his mobility scooter just trying to cross the road.

Traffic Injury and Pollution Data for Blackett Street and the surrounding area

Because of the large number of buses, cycling on Blackett Street and New Bridge Street is only currently a choice for the brave and doesn’t support the Council’s policy that “streets and roads should be designed to be safely used by children and those with limited mobility” [City Council October 2019].

Life and health should not be traded for other benefits. People have a right to be able to travel safely, and simple errors shouldn’t lead to someone being seriously injured or killed.

Richard Grainger’s Vision: A “City of Palaces”

Grainger Town has been a place of forward-thinking innovation combined with elegance and beauty for almost 200 hundred years.  Richard Grainger transformed the area from the remains of a medieval and industrial city and created “a City of Palaces; a fairyland of newness, brightness and modern elegance.” (William Howlett 1842) https://www.newcastle.gov.uk/our-city/history-and-heritage

Richard Grainger’s original vision for Grainger Town was for streets and buildings to be “promenaded” around as well as lived in. The 1997-2003 Grainger Town project recognised this by having as one of its aims to create “a high quality pedestrian-priority precinct, encouraging appreciation of the surrounding architecture, and transforming the experience of walking through this area and promoting civic activity.”
https://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20100510223103/http://www.cabe.org.uk/case-studies/grainger-town

Currently, a very large part of the road space on Blackett Street and New Bridge Street is reserved for vehicles with people squashed to either side.

Current vehicle-priority on Blackett Street

The Council now needs to complete the Grainger Town vision by making Blackett Street and Old Eldon Square traffic-free, and it should do so as soon as possible to address Blackett Street’s poor air quality and road safety issues.

Northumberland Street, which is already traffic-free, gives us an idea of what Blackett Street could be like, with much lower levels of pollution, virtually no traffic-related injuries in the last ten years and thriving businesses. The closure in 1998 is evidence that removing vehicle traffic not only works but allows an area to thrive. A generation on and the number of shoppers along Northumberland Street would be impossible to sustain if this street had continued to support two-way vehicle traffic. Complaints that Christmas stalls and rides had restricted the space in Northumberland Street only serve to demonstrate how the pedestrianised area is not only now accepted, but fiercely protected.

No one would suggest now that the city should turn Northumberland Street into a bus station, and in years to come people will wonder why the same was ever allowed on Old Eldon Square.

Blackett Street south frontage – January 2020

Old Eldon Square has the potential to be one of the best locations in the city centre but is currently dirty, noisy and dangerous. Apart from the east side where John Dobson’s original buildings survive, Old Eldon Square is surrounded by dark brown brick walls that make it look like the goods entrance to an out of town shopping centre. Making it traffic-free will allow these blank walls to be brought back to life with new businesses, street cafes and planting, and allow the square to be used for public events without risking the wellbeing of the people attending.

Blackett Street full of people on a summer Saturday

Detail Feedback

As above, we strongly support the removal of traffic from the areas identified in the Council’s plan. The following detail feedback is about proposed changes to transport arrangements.

1.     Buses and Accessibility

We support the concept of the Bus Loop, as set out in Council Policy UC7 adopted in March 2015, and that, as per that policy, this should be “the principal route for buses within the Urban Core to ensure there is good service around and to the edge of the retail area with 
less reliance on the routes that cut across it.”

We note that only one of the three main bus companies that serve Newcastle city centre currently uses bus stops on Blackett Street, and that passengers that use buses provided by the other two companies do not suffer unduly as a result. Blackett Street will be no further from the new bus loop than Northumberland Street is from the current nearest bus stops.

However, it must be acknowledged that passengers arriving by buses that currently stop on Blackett Street will have a variety of destinations and may want to connect to other bus or Metro services. We would therefore encourage the Council to work with bus companies to ensure that passengers have a choice of routes that allow them to access different destinations within the city. This could be achieved through the accessible, and preferably electric-powered, city centre bus shuttle idea we suggested in our response to the Council’s “Breathe” Air Quality consultation. Currently someone transferring from an east-west bus to one heading north would have a six-minute walk from Blackett Street to Haymarket.

Clearly different people will also have different mobility needs and it is important to ensure that Newcastle is accessible as possible for people with disabilities. We would therefore like to see the Shopmobility scheme expanded to better cater for public transport users rather than requiring people to drive and park to access this service. In fact, regardless of the outcome of this consultation we would like to see this idea taken forward. This could be funded by NE1 instead of their free parking offer, which by reducing the incentive to drive would also help reduce congestion and pollution in the city centre.

Not just buses on Blackett Street

In addition to the above we suggest:

1. To avoid delay to public transport, other vehicle traffic on the bus loop should be minimised as far as possible. All non-stopping traffic should be directed to use the Urban Core Distributor ring road, and the busiest sections of the bus loop should be bus-only.
2. For the same reason, the Council should remove non-stopping through-traffic from Percy Street and Mosley Street, both of which are identified in the Council’s Policy map as Public Transport Distributor Roads.
3. Good quality well-lit walking routes should be provided from the bus loop to major city destinations including the RVI, with clear signage to show the way. Footways should be free from obstruction and wide enough for when they are at their busiest. Signalised crossings should prioritise people on foot with short wait times and comfortable crossing times.
4. Maps should be displayed at regular intervals and at bus stops showing walking routes and which bus stops serve which routes.
5. Multiple options for connectivity between bus routes and with the Metro should be provided to passengers have a choice of routes. E.g. someone travelling west to east across the city may wish to change from a bus to a Metro at St James to avoid city centre congestion, or if travelling east to north a change at Haymarket Bus Station would be better rather than the current six-minute walk from Blackett Street.
6. Bus stops should be good quality and provide shelter and seating for waiting passengers.
7. Vehicle speeds should be rigorously monitored to ensure all traffic sticks to the 20mph limit.
8. In the interim, prior to this proposal being implemented, the Council should enforce existing bus-only regulations on Blackett Street and Grey Street.

Newcastle City Centre Bus Loop and Public Transport Distributor Roads

2.     Cycling

In October 2019, City Council agreed a motion on cycling that said that “Cycle and walking routes should be abundantly available especially within a 3-mile radius of the city centre or major transport interchanges.”

This motion acknowledged the clear benefits of cycling for health and life expectancy, the ability to move more people in the same space, reducing the cost of travel for residents and helping to reduce air pollution and green house gas emissions. In addition, many studies have shown how good cycling facilities are good for local businesses.

Government guidance states that Councils should aim for a 400m grid of routes that are safe for all age and ability cycling and allow access to key destinations. 400m is about the same distance as Haymarket Metro to the south end of Northumberland Street. This, along with the Council’s adopted policy, suggests that safe cycling routes should be provided on Blackett Street and on a tight grid of connecting cycling routes throughout the city centre, including in Zone 3 ‘Other areas of the city’.

The Council has previously produced graphics to illustrate what might be possible on Blackett Street.  Traffic-free cycle lanes such as those shown, which are clearly marked and not shared with people walking, have been found to work better for people walking as well as people cycling. To gain the maximum benefit there also need to be safe onward links to the wider city cycle network at both east and west ends and connecting south to Grainger Street and Grey Street.

Newcastle City Council Blackett Street mock-ups from 2017

Living Streets have produced a report about problems with shared walking and cycling routes, and although the report concludes that issues with sharing are less at destinations where there are high numbers of people walking, there is plenty of space to provide separate lanes so sharing is not required.
https://www.livingstreets.org.uk/media/1864/sharing-the-space-report.pdf

The Council motion on cycling also supported the addition of secure cycle parking. This provision should be spread throughout the city centre and the Council should consider family users (multiple bikes of different sizes including children’s bikes, cargo bikes and women’s bike frames) when selecting what types or combinations of racks to use.

We also suggest that the Council propose to local bus companies that they should provide training for their drivers in how to drive around and safely overtake people cycling.
E.g. https://www.bikeradar.com/news/bus-and-lorry-drivers-to-get-cycle-safety-training/

3.     Parking

On-street parking should be minimised within the Urban Core. Where it is provided it should be priced in order to encourage people to use the major car parks and to reduce traffic circulating to look for on-street parking spaces. Best practice suggests that pricing should aim to have at least 20% of on- street spaces free at any given time so that people who need it can easily find a space to park.

We support appropriate placement of disabled parking spaces, including in the city’s major car parks, and would like to encourage the Council to also find ways to better support people with disabilities to walk, cycle or use public transport.

4.     Beyond the Bus Loop – further development

The Council in its consultation documentation states that as a city ‘we’re growing, changing and investing in tomorrow. After all, great cities don’t stand still.’

We would like to suggest that once the changes being consulted on have been approved, the Council convenes a Grainger Town working group made up of major businesses and employers, transport providers, transport user and residents’ groups that support that Council’s ambition for ‘a place that has cleaner air and puts people first, and where public transport and healthy, active travel, such as cycling, and walking is a choice for everyone.‘ and to realise the  ‘City of Palaces’ vision.

Such a group would require a clear terms of reference that sets out how it will support the Council to achieve its policy goals and avoid further delay that might prevent air quality or safety targets being met.

Ideas for this group to look at might include:

• Extending the benefits of clean air and reduced traffic on adjoining streets by for example removing on-street parking on Grey Street and replacing it with extended pavements and greenery.
• Installing water fountains and/or play features for children.
• Walking routes and signage.
• Options for making the city centre more accessible for people with disabilities.
• City centre cycle hire.
• Low carbon last-mile deliveries.
• Installation of electric power for events to replace diesel generators.

Conclusion

Old Eldon Square is a key destination in its own right, and the removal of vehicle traffic creates opportunities for regeneration and more events for the benefit of the city and its residents.

It is also currently an air pollution and road danger ‘hot spot’, but has a high potential to be improved for people walking and for east-west journeys by people cycling who are currently excluded from this area by the high volumes of buses and other traffic.

The Council has been working on these plans since at least November 2017 and the proposed arrangements have been trialled on numerous occasions. The Council should now move quickly to make Blackett Street and New Bridge Street traffic-free well before summer 2020, even if initially with temporary measures, to bring air quality in line with the government directive and to prevent more people being seriously injured or killed.

In 2015, the Newcastle Chronicle published an article stating 23 pedestrians had been killed or injured by buses in the city since 2012.  These concerns are not new and will not go away without the sort of action proposed by the Council for Blackett Street and New Bridge Street.

In the interim the Council should ensure residents and users of Old Eldon Square are aware of the high levels of air pollution and that people should not spend more time than necessary in the area. While we understand why the Council has permitted events in the square in the past, no further licences should be issued until the traffic has been removed. This includes the Screen on the Green.

Yours sincerely,

SPACE for Gosforth
www.spaceforgosforth.com

Traffic-Related Injuries on Blackett Street and New Bridge Street

1.     “Man taken to hospital with chest pains following two-vehicle crash in Newcastle city centre” January 2020
https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/north-east-news/man-taken-hospital-chest-pains-17619592

2.     “Man on mobility scooter hit by bus in Newcastle city centre dies in hospital a day later” February 2019
https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/north-east-news/man-mobility-scooter-hit-bus-15829419

3.     “Pensioner in hospital after bus crash which brought city centre street to halt” December 2017
https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/north-east-news/pensioner-hospital-after-bus-crash-14045173

4.     “Six passengers injured after bus suddenly brakes in Newcastle city centre” October 2016
https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/north-east-news/six-passengers-injured-after-bus-11971358

5.     “Newcastle Council reassures pedestrians after 23 are killed or injured by buses since 2012” May 2015 including:

1. April 2014 “Paramedics called to Blackett Street, close to Grey’s Monument, where a woman in her 50s was lying in the road after being hit by a bus. She was taken by ambulance to the city’s Royal Victoria Infirmary, where she was treated for head injuries not thought to be serious”
2. October 2012 “A man in his 20s was struck by the Stagecoach number 63 on New Bridge Street West, at its busy junction with Northumberland Street. He was taken to hospital “to be treated for a sore elbow”
3. September 2012 “An 84-year-old was taken to hospital with head and arm injuries after he was hit trying to cross Blackett Street near to the bottom of Northumberland Street”
4. August 2012 “A man in his 20s was hit as he attempted to cross New Bridge Street West, near the end of Northumberland Street”
   https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/north-east-news/newcastle-council-reassures-pedestrians-after-9201042

6.     “Accident in Newcastle City Centre” October 2013
https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/incoming/gallery/accident-in-newcastle-city-centre-6131187

7.     “Another pedestrian hit by bus in Newcastle city centre” October 2013
https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/north-east-news/another-pedestrian-hit-bus-newcastle-6130774

8.     “Eighth victim of a bus accident in seven months” February 2013
https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/local-news/eighth-victim-bus-accident-seven-1372201

9.     “Man hurt in bus crash” January 2007
https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/north-east-news/man-hurt-in-bus-crash-1479757

10.  “Chaos as man injured by bus” October 2003
https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/north-east-news/chaos-man-injured-bus-1664547

Other relevant press stories

https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/business/business-news/ambitious-plans-transform-newcastle-city-13913379 Ambitious plans to transform Newcastle city centre – November 2017

https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/north-east-news/plans-breathe-new-life-newcastle-13933605 November 2017 cabinet approval

“Outside of London, Newcastle’s Northumberland Street is the next most expensive shopping road in the UK, with an annual rent of £1,742 per square metre.” 2004  http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/3954649.stm

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