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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Dear sir / madam,

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

Specifically, we wish to object to:

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

Our grounds for objecting to the ETRO are:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

In more detail…

1 The reasons given in the TRO have not been achieved

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

3 The layout contradicts the LCWIP approved by Council Cabinet

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

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

4 The layout is not compliant with modern safety standards

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The new layout

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Suggested approach

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

Some examples of what could be considered include:

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

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

Kind regards,

SPACE for Gosforth

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

The post Gosforth High Street – our response appeared first on SPACE for Gosforth.

In August we had a team walk along Gosforth High Street to see if we could come up with some ideas for what could be tried out fairly cheaply as part of the current trial arrangements. In particular we were looking for ideas that wouldn’t require changes to the road layout or need new traffic orders to implement.

Below are 10 ideas, which we hope Newcastle City Council will consider. Most of them, if successful, could be implemented at multiple locations on Gosforth High Street.

If you have any other ideas for small changes that could easily be trialled please let us know in the comments below.

We have commented on the scheme overall in our blogs Gosforth High Street – Good Policy, Terrible Plan, Gosforth High Street has been designed like a bypass rather than a shopping destination and Gosforth High Street – Safety Concerns.

Idea 1. Narrow the exit to Elmfield Road so it is only one vehicle lane. Extend the pavement on the left hand side where the double yellow line is now. Possibly install a Sheffield stand for cycle parking if there is space. Car parking remains unaffected.

Benefit: Shorter, safer crossing for people walking along Gosforth High Street. Additional cycle parking for customers.

Google Street View

2. Install a Sheffield Stand between two black bollards parallel to the road (like on Acorn Road). This would allow some cycle parking without obstructing the pavement.

Benefit: Additional cycle parking for customers.

Google Street View

3. Increase the pavement space outside Gosforth Central Park (picture below). This shouldn’t impact turning vehicles and doesn’t affect access to the shopping centre car park.

Benefit: Improved entrance to the park

Google Street View

4. Trial an implied Zebra crossing, or alternatively a raised crossing, over the entrance to the car park ramp.

Benefit: Safer crossing.

Google Street View

5. Properly drop the kerb at the entrance to Gosforth Central Park for wheeled users, including mobility scooters. (This may not be needed if pavement is extended).

Benefit: Improved access for wheeled users.

Google Street View

6. There is an opportunity for a bit of planting and a small tree in the Salters Road car park, rather than just grass. This should also reduce maintenance.

Benefit: More greenery

Google Street View

7. Move the bench so it is not hidden behind the bush, possibly to just right of the photo. This is also a really poor location for cycle parking as the racks are not well used (whereas the racks next to the pub are used) so the Council could consider moving these to another location, maybe outside the gym on Ivy Road to replace the poor quality cycle parking currently there?

Benefit: More usable bench and cycle parking.

Google Street View

8. Wait times for pedestrian crossings to be reduced / or to be instant outside of rush hour. The time allowed for pedestrians to cross could also be increased. This is a particular problem at the crossing next to the Little Moor.

Benefit: Better for people walking.

Google Street View

9. Installing cycle lane defenders to enable safer east-west crossings of he High Street by bike. From Ivy Road / West Avenue to St. Nicholas southbound (shown). Elmfield to The Grove north and south bound, Moorfield to Moor Crescent north bound. These are only short sections and are not used for loading or any other purpose so there should be minimal/no conflict of usage.

Benefit: Safer cycling facilities.

Google Street View

10. Tightening the corners at The Grove. Alternatively, or as well as, at the entrance to the car park immediately north of The County. This would make the junction safer by reducing the speed of turning traffic. Newcastle Council proposed similar measures in 2016 (see https://www.spaceforgosforth.com/pedestrian-priority/).

Benefit: Safer crossing.

Google Street View

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Gosforth High Street is our most important local destination in Gosforth. We want the shops to be successful and, as we set out in our previous blog, an important part of that is enabling people to get to and move around Gosforth High Street safely. 

The trial design implemented by Newcastle City Council doesn’t even adhere to the most basic safety principle, namely to separate people walking and cycling from heavy, fast moving vehicles. Instead they expect people cycling along or across the High Street to share a lane with buses, or separated only by paint from heavy traffic.

If you want a better, safer, more ambitious, plan for Gosforth High Street, you need to respond to the Council’s consultation ASAP. Please also be clear you don’t want a return to the pre-Covid layout as that was no better!

In this blog we look at safety concerns with the current layout and reveal the alternative safer option rejected by the Council, which we have obtained via a Freedom of Information request.

Issue 1. Forcing people and heavy vehicles to share road-space is not designing to the “highest safety standard for all road users”

In November 2022, Newcastle City Councillors voted for a new design for Gosforth High Street that met the “highest safety standard for all road users”.

If people were happy to cycle in heavy traffic we might see more people cycling on Gosforth High Street. Department for Transport surveys have consistently shown a majority of people (>60%) think it is too dangerous to cycle on the roads due to motor traffic.

In the central section of the High Street there is now a north-bound bus lane and a south-bound advisory lane for cycling.

People cycling are able to use bus lanes but they aren’t designed for that purpose. Department for Transport guidance states that bus lanes “do not provide an environment attractive to a wide range of people and should therefore not be regarded as inclusive. Some bus lanes also allow taxis and motorcycles to use them [as is the case on Gosforth High Street], which can signifcantly increase traffc fows, thereby acting as a deterrent to cycling while also increasing risk of confict.” Conflict, in this scenario, could include collisions and / or injuries, most likely to the person or people cycling.

The same guidance advises that advisory lanes are “not be suitable for all people and will excluded some potential users and/or have safety concerns” given the volume of traffic, and that “Advisory lanes are not recommended where they are likely to be blocked by parked vehicles.“

Van illegally parked blocking the Gosforth High Street bus lane

The presence of parked vehicles almost doubles the risk to people cycling. 

Designing only for confident and experienced cyclists, as the Council have done on Gosforth High Street, excludes most people who could cycle, especially older and younger people who would be most at risk in a collision. 

Photoshopped picture from the Department for Alternative Transport Blog.

The Council’s proposal implies that people including children, families and older people who wish to cycle to or between shops on the main section of Gosforth High Street should either:

1. cycle in a bus lane or painted cycle lane, without any physical separation or protection from heavy motor traffic; or
2. be prevented from travelling in the way that they wish, counter to the Council’s commitment to inclusive design to be safe for all users as well as its policy of encouraging sustainable travel.

Providing an alternative route on Moor Road is useful for people travelling from north of Gosforth to the city centre. However, this is a diversion away from the High Street, which for many people will be their destination, and neither resolves safety issues on the High Street nor helps travel within or across the High Street.

Issue 2. Close Passes – by design

South of The County, existing painted cycle lanes have been retained. DfT guidelines stated that painted lanes on busy roads “exclude some potential users and/or have safety concerns.” Adding an extra traffic lane makes these even less usable.

Drivers should leave at least 1.5m when overtaking cyclists

Specifically, the new Highway Code requires drivers to leave at least 1.5 metres when overtaking cyclists. This was just about possible with previous lane widths south of Elmfield Road, but is now much harder with an extra vehicle lane squeezed in – as the diagram below shows.

Streetmix.net mock up of High Street lane widths before and after,. Cycle lanes have been reduced to 1.5m

Drivers, including bus and taxi drivers, can be prosecuted for close passes within 1.5m. Northumbria Police operate a ‘dash cam submission’ website where people can submit video evidence. Even so, close passes are deeply uncomfortable and potentially dangerous for the person who has been ‘close passed’, and will most likely put off even some experienced cyclists from cycling along Gosforth High Street.

This safety risk could be partially mitigated by having cycle lane ‘defenders’ to physically separate people and vehicle traffic, but the current trial doesn’t include this and lanes would still be non-compliant with standards due to being too narrow.

Issue 3. High Street Crossings

Prior to the wands being installed residents complained regularly that vehicles either ignored or did not see the pedestrian traffic lights by the shopping centre. The picture below from Google StreetView (pre-Covid) shows why this happens.

This can be partially mitigated by moving the stop line back and away from the crossing, though won’t be fully resolved while there are multiple north-bound vehicle lanes.

To make it easier for people to move around Gosforth High Street, pedestrian crossings also need to be set to change quickly once the button has been pressed and allow plenty of time for people to cross.

Issue 4. Severance

The November 2022 Council motion stated the new design should “enable low-carbon options to enable people to travel to, along and across the High Street”. This is to prevent ‘community severance‘, the widely-studied effect where a busy road or other transport infrastructure splits adjacent built-up areas making it harder to travel between the two.

In the trial layout, anyone cycling from east to west or vice versa across Gosforth High Street has to share a lane with heavy traffic as most crossings are offset, and most people are not willing to cycle using offset crossings that require mixing with heavy traffic. Without safe cycle-crossings on Gosforth High Street east-west cycling journeys become much harder as there are only a few places where people can safely cross The Great North Road. If cycling is made harder then people are less likely to travel and/or may drive instead.

Failure to Design to UK Standards

The November 2022 Council motion called for Gosforth High Street to be designed to be safe for all users and in accordance with LTN1/20 standards. LTN1/20 is the safety standard for cycling. 

A design in accordance with LTN1/20 would allow people to cycle to, through and across the High Street, stop outside shops and ride safely between shops e.g. if picking up a bottle of wine at Carruthers and Kent, then getting a takeaway from Gosforth Chippy or the New New Bengal. 

This would enable more people to travel to shop on Gosforth High Street without adding to existing high levels of pollution and congestion, and would make Gosforth High Street itself a more attractive destination by creating a gap between the pavement and heavy traffic. This would also allow some of the black bollards to be removed enabling the full width of the pavements to be used. 

We sent a briefing containing all these points to the Newcastle City Council Cabinet (who in November 2022 all voted for the highest possible safety standards!) on 19 February 2023, a month or so prior to the new layout being implemented..

The Alternative Plan

Newcastle City Council did produce an alternative plan that they didn’t use. This included the extended bus lane up to Hawthorn Road, but with protected cycle lanes through the main section of the High Street.

This wouldn’t have resolved all the issues listed above but would be a substantial improvement on what is there now, allowing both for reliable bus times and greater safety for all road users.

The consultation for the trial bus-priority measures runs until 21 September and you can share your thoughts on the Council’s CommonPlace website. 

Commenting on a new funding for a cycle route on Elswick Road in May, the Council said “We want everyone in Newcastle to be able to choose and benefit from active travel. This leads to better physical and mental health; stronger, connected communities and a better, more sustainable environment for future generations.” We just want the same for Gosforth High Street.

Extract from “Gosforth High Street’s future” – motion approved unanimously by City Council November 2022

Council welcomes proposals to replace the bollards on Gosforth High Street with a permanent scheme developed collaboratively with people in the local area to make Gosforth High Street more people-friendly and improve facilities for active travel and public transport.

…

Council resolves to ask Cabinet to ensure proposals for Gosforth High Street:

• Support the development of Gosforth High Street as a thriving local destination with a diverse range of shops and services.
• Are designed to the highest possible safety standards for both pedestrians and all road users, including LTN1/20* which was recently adopted as the standard by Cabinet.
• Enable low-carbon transport options to enable people travel to, along and across the High Street, cut pollution and support the city’s ambition to achieve net zero by 2030.
• Enhance the green infrastructure on Gosforth High Street, in line with the Council’s commitments on biodiversity and maximising nature-based ways to reduce air pollution.
• Are delivered urgently to achieve these benefits as soon as possible, but not without meaningful engagement with local residents about the options and impacts of various schemes.
  
  

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Gosforth High Street has been designed like a bypass rather than a shopping destination.

Bus lanes designed to get buses through as fast as possible. Customers wanting to cycle to the shops forced by heavy traffic to go elsewhere. Dominated by traffic passing through without stopping and no real improvement to the pedestrian environment.

The new trial layout on Gosforth High Street has been in place for five months, with just a few weeks left for residents to comment, and pretty much it is working (or rather not working) exactly as we predicted.

It doesn’t create any extra space for pedestrians because bollards are still needed to separate people walking from traffic. It doesn’t work for the vast majority of people who could cycle because (unlike the bollards) paint doesn’t provide any separation from traffic. It doesn’t work for deliveries which inevitably end up blocking either the bus lane or a cycle lane, and it doesn’t work for buses because there’s little or no enforcement to stop people parking in the bus lane. 

If you want a better, more ambitious, plan for Gosforth High Street, you need to respond to the Council’s consultation ASAP. See below for our suggestions. Please also be clear you don’t want a return to the pre-Covid layout as that was no better!

A Better Alternative

SPACE for Gosforth wants a design for Gosforth High Street that prioritises its role as a shopping street and community hub: a street where all of the community feel welcome, a street that is safe, attractive and accessible, a street that prioritises movement to and between the shops rather than non-stopping passing traffic.

The table below describes how priorities for a shopping street / community hub would differ from what is currently being trialed.

If you agree and want Gosforth High Street to be designed as a community hub / shopping destination please let Newcastle City Council know by 21 September. We have included some specific, practical suggestions for how to do this below.

Newcastle City Council’s consultation on Gosforth High Street ends 21 September 2023. You can make your views known here: https://gosforthhighstreet.commonplace.is/

Should @NewcastleCC’s design for Gosforth High Street prioritise traffic (including bus traffic), or should it prioritise its role as a shopping street and community hub?

One month left to reply to the consultation – by 21 September 2023.https://t.co/kUASPwQM2y pic.twitter.com/UQJliDZ0pR

— space for gosforth (@space4gosforth) August 21, 2023

Target market

We have mapped Newcastle’s District Shopping Centres showing that people who will use Gosforth High Street, rather than one of Newcastle’s other District Centres, will mostly live within about a mile and a half of Gosforth High Street – a 30 minute walk or a 10 minute bike ride (where there are safe low-traffic routes). 

District Centres are classified in the Council’s Local Plan as being a “focus for a wider range of convenience goods and services which serve a wide catchment area. They usually contain at least one supermarket / superstore, offer a range of non-retail services (for example, shops, banks, cafes, restaurants and public houses), have good public transport links, strong walk-in catchments and some contain local / community facilities, such as a library.” The Local Plan also designates local centres like Ashburton Road, Station Road and Acorn Road, which “contain a smaller range of shops and services which support the daily needs of a smaller catchment area.”

The purple dashed line in the diagram below shows the main catchment area for Gosforth High Street compared to other District Centres. That’s not to say people won’t travel from further away, but most likely the majority of customers will likely live in this area.

Overlaying travel times shows:

• about a third of the people in this area (within the purple dashed line) could walk to Gosforth High Street in 15 minutes.
• about two thirds could get to Gosforth High Street in 15 minutes by bus.
• everyone in this area could get to Gosforth High Street in 15 minutes (most likely much less) by cycling.

If local streets were safe for people to cycle to the shops then that would enable many more customers to access the shops and services on Gosforth High Street with no additional noise or air pollution and no additional congestion. It would also free up parking spaces for those that need to drive, whether for health or any other reason.

This bike path conveys 40-50,000 potential customers past these shops every day, taking minimal space with no noise or air pollution. https://t.co/TAnurVt84x

— space for gosforth (@space4gosforth) September 2, 2023

Goods and Services

Gosforth High Street is unlikely ever to be able to compete with the internet or giant out of town stores on range, price or volume/bulky goods.

Gosforth High Street will have a competitive advantage when it comes to:

• Convenience – if you need something quickly
• Service – if you need in-person advice or support
• Entertainment and experience – especially pubs, cafes and restaurants
• Other in-person services like opticians or medical services
• Perishable goods like fresh bread or flowers
• “Top-up” shopping – if you need a few extra bits and pieces rather than a big shop
• Having a mix of shops and services, including a mix of independent shops and national chains.
• Unusual or specialist goods.

Local independents like Carruthers and Kent, Jump, Yumlush and Thorpes are successful (in our view) because they take advantage of multiple of these, especially service, convenience and experience, and together they are part of Gosforth High Street’s unique character that sets it apart from the city centre and other local district centres.

From a design perspective, it is important to note that none of these require a customer to own a car and, while you can buy a fridge (at Argos) or lawnmower (at Thorpes), stores selling larger goods will deliver if needed.

What does this mean in practice?

These are the main changes that would support Gosforth High Street to be a community hub and shopping destination, enabling as many customers as possible to access the High Street safely and without adding to existing congestion and pollution.

1. Returning the central section of Gosforth High Street (about 500m) to a single minimum-width vehicle lane in each direction. Narrow lanes are both safer and mean more space for other uses.
2. Retain the north-bound bus lane up to Elmfield Road. This will be sufficient to ensure consistent bus journey times.  In future look to using Regent Centre as an interchange for long-distance buses, as it was designed for.
3. Install safe cycling facilities usable by all ages and abilities as committed to at the November 2022 City Council Meeting, both along and to the High Street.
4. Declutter the pavement and trial removing the black bollards which take up over half a metre of pavement space on each side. 
5. Reduce pedestrian crossing wait times, and ensure that there is time for people to cross. 
6. Pedestrianise side street-ends so people walking along the High Street have priority over turning vehicles in line with the new Highway Code. 
7. Reduce non-local traffic using streets either side of the High Street to make it safer and more pleasant for people to walk or cycle to Gosforth High Street.
8. Look for opportunities to improve the pedestrian environment e.g. for street cafes, planting or benches, including at ends of side streets. 
9. Extend the 20mph zone north past Gosforth Academy, west past Gosforth Junior Academy and south to the Little Moor.

If you support these changes you need to make your view known to the Council.

Newcastle City Council’s consultation on Gosforth High Street ends 21 September 2023. You can make your views known here: https://gosforthhighstreet.commonplace.is/

St Nicholas Avenue car park off Gosforth High Street by @countygosforth has 70 car spaces.

>10* more customers could be accommodated if they arrived by bike rather than driving. https://t.co/V0CpaebEmt

— space for gosforth (@space4gosforth) September 2, 2023

The post Gosforth High Street has been designed like a bypass rather than a shopping destination appeared first on SPACE for Gosforth.

Gosforth High Street – September 2018. Definitely not a Safe Pedestrian and Cycling Environment.

Newcastle City Council has proposed a new layout for Gosforth High Street. SPACE for Gosforth is very concerned this plan won’t make the High Street any safer, doesn’t do anything to improve the shopping environment and doesn’t appear to be the result of any meaningful community engagement. 

Less than three months ago, in November 2022, Councillors unanimously supported a motion saying Gosforth High Street proposals should be designed to the “highest possible safety standards for both pedestrians and all road users”.

As well as asking Council Cabinet to prioritise safety, the motion proposed by Gosforth Councillors asked that future plans should:

• Support the development of Gosforth High Street as a thriving local destination with a diverse range of shops and services.
• Enable low-carbon transport options to enable people travel to, along and across the High Street, cut pollution and support the city’s ambition to achieve net zero by 2030.
• Enhance the green infrastructure on Gosforth High Street, in line with the Council’s commitments on biodiversity and maximising nature-based ways to reduce air pollution.
• Achieve these benefits as soon as possible, but not without meaningful engagement with local residents about the options and impacts of various schemes.

Councillor Byrne, Cabinet Member for Transport, who is responsible for signing off transport plans including Gosforth High Street, responded with the amended motion that was voted on. This motion was supported by the Leader of the Council, other members of the Council Cabinet, as well as Councillors from across the city and in Gosforth.

Gosforth High Street is one of the most complex and congested roads in the city, with multiple competing demands all in a relatively small space. Before 2020, it suffered from high levels of air pollution and a poor safety record, in part due to the prioritisation of through-traffic over its role as a local destination. Consultations and community-engagement have come and gone, but none have succeeded so far in coming up with a sustainable long-term plan.

The motion doesn’t provide an answer to all the trade-offs needed, but it does at least provide a baseline and some common ground to work from. Whether you walk, ride, drive or take the bus, no sensible community-minded person is going to want others to be harmed just so they can save a few seconds over a short stretch of road. 

Unfortunately, despite unanimous agreement at Council, we seem to be no further forward.

Dissonance

On Thursday 9 February 2023, the Council outlined its plans for Gosforth High Street in a confusing and, at times, contradictory news article “New bus priority measures for a key transport corridor to be introduced“.

The main features of this appear to be:

• Removing the extra pedestrian space, which to be fair was rarely used by people on foot though did make crossing the road a bit safer.
• Removing the limited protection for cycling north of Elmfield Road.
• Adding a north-bound bus-lane, possibly also to be shared with taxis and motorcycles.

Not only does this fail to support the motion that all Councillors supported, it pretty much does the opposite.

Anyone who has been involved in past consultations will know that it is not possible both to ‘Support the development of Gosforth High Street as a thriving local destination’ and to prioritise its function as a ‘transport-corridor’. One of the main themes from previous community feedback has been to ask the Council to stop treating Gosforth High Street as somewhere to pass through, and start focusing on Gosforth High Street as a destination.

By bringing forward this plan, Council leadership appear to have completely ignored its own Councillors who, only a few months ago, set out very clearly what they wanted: a thriving local destination designed to the highest possible safety standards enabling people to walk and cycle safely to, along and across the High Street.

The new plan:

• doesn’t improve safety on Gosforth High Street and potentially makes it worse, especially for people who might want to cycle.
• doesn’t create any new safe routes to enable more customers to walk or cycle to the High Street. 
• doesn’t do anything to improve the shopping environment.
• doesn’t appear to be the result of any meaningful community engagement. 

SPACE for Gosforth has submitted many ideas to improve Gosforth High Street over the years but none of these are included in the Council’s news article. 

We think the Council leadership needs to go back to the drawing board and come up with a new plan aligned to what they themselves committed to in November i.e. addressing safety concerns and prioritising Gosforth High Street as a destination, not a through-route.

Longer-term we would support a process similar to the Blue House workshops that brought together different interests to work collaboratively to come up with a consensus for a future layout.

If you wish to make your views known on this plan you can contact your local Councillors and the Cabinet Member for a Connected and Clean City, whose portfolio includes transport. 

According to the Council news article, the Council plans “to install the bus priority changes in the coming weeks.”

The Newcastle City Council motion below, which was supported unanimously by City Councillors, is from the minutes of City Council November 2022.

The original motion was proposed by Councillor Woodwark, who represents Gosforth Ward. The amended motion below, that was voted on and approved unanimously, was proposed by Cllr Byrne who is the Cabinet Member responsible for transport in Newcastle.

Gosforth High Street’s future – motion approved by City Council November 2022

Council welcomes proposals to replace the bollards on Gosforth High Street with a permanent scheme developed collaboratively with people in the local area to make Gosforth High Street more people-friendly and improve facilities for active travel and public transport.

Council notes:

• The bollards imposed on Gosforth High Street during the COVID pandemic have not been used as intended and have outlasted their intended timeframe
• That District Centres across the City have suffered in some part from the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic, with support from the Council in improving those areas City wide.
• That Gosforth High Street has had unacceptable pollution rates for a number of years, despite several interventions by the Council
• The opportunity this heralds to help achieve the City Council’s Climate Change Emergency goals, reducing harmful emissions in this important part of the City.

Council resolves to ask Cabinet to ensure proposals for Gosforth High Street:

• Support the development of Gosforth High Street as a thriving local destination with a diverse range of shops and services.
• Are designed to the highest possible safety standards for both pedestrians and all road users, including LTN1/20* which was recently adopted as the standard by Cabinet.
• Enable low-carbon transport options to enable people travel to, along and across the High Street, cut pollution and support the city’s ambition to achieve net zero by 2030.
• Enhance the green infrastructure on Gosforth High Street, in line with the Council’s commitments on biodiversity and maximising nature-based ways to reduce air pollution.
• Are delivered urgently to achieve these benefits as soon as possible, but not without meaningful engagement with local residents about the options and impacts of various schemes.
• Are consistent with City Council policy and motions as set out above.

*Local Transport Note (LTN) 1/20 is the Government guidance for local authorities for designing high-quality, safe cycle infrastructure.

The post Gosforth High Street – Good Policy, Terrible Plan 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’s almost a year since the wands were installed on Gosforth High Street to assist social distancing and to make it easier to walk or cycle. In that time we’ve all had a chance to experience Gosforth High Street differently, and to see what an alternative layout could look like.

The changes were implemented at short notice following an urgent instruction from the UK Government, which told authorities to reallocate road space including widened footways, new protected cycle lanes and ‘modal filters’ like on Salters Bridge, Castle Farm Road and Stoneyhurst Road.

For that reason we should not expect the High Street layout to be perfect or look pretty, but we can take a view on what has worked and what has not. In this blog we look at seven ways in which Gosforth High Street has been improved.

1. It’s Safer 

Based on traffic collision data, Gosforth High Street is substantially safer since the wands were installed than it has been for years. Between 13 August 2020 and 30 March 2021 there were two slight injuries between Elmfield Road and The Regent Centre. In the four previous years the average over a similar period was seven injuries, with one of those being serious.

Two injuries over eight months is still significant though. Possible additional measures to improve safety might include pedestrian priority at side roads, raised crossings, permanent protected cycle lanes and extending the single lane northbound and 20mph up past Gosforth Academy.

2. It’s Easier to Cross

Crossing two lanes is easier than four. While this might not seem like a big thing, we’ve heard many people say that crossing the High Street used to be dangerous due to buses and other large vehicles blocking the view of vehicles travelling in the outside (middle) lane.

3. It’s More Pleasant to Walk

Whereas buses and other large vehicles used to squeeze into the narrow lane next to the pavement, now there is a gap between the pavement edge and passing vehicles.

The photo below, taken before Covid, shows how close buses got to the pavement, sometimes travelling at up to 30mph or more with wing mirrors practically overhanging the pavement itself.

This also allows a bit of a gap to reduce noise and allow exhaust fumes to dissipate.

4. Cycling from Hollywood Avenue to Christon Road

The section between Hollywood Avenue to Christon Road was previously the weakest link, and the only paint-only section, of the Great North Road cycle route from Brunton Lane to the City Centre via Moor Road North and South. With the addition of the wands to stop vehicles encroaching on the cycle lanes many more people can use this route.

This section of road is also the route to school for many of the 2,000+ school children who attend Gosforth Academy and Gosforth Central Middle School. They deserve some consideration in how this road is designed to enable them to travel to school in safety. This would reasonably include better crossings, wider pavements and permanent protected cycle lanes. Extending the 20mph speed limit would also be beneficial, as has been announced for other Newcastle schools.

5. Cafe Culture

Look hard enough and you will find quite a few areas just off the High Street that used to be used for parking that have been turned into outdoors seating. This one below looks onto Gosforth Central Park.

We hope these can be retained permanently.

Pub seating behind Gosforth High Street next to Gosforth Central Park

6. Cycling from Elmfield Road to The County

While cycling provision on Gosforth High Street as a whole is still poor, the section from Elmfield Road to The County is much improved with the wands preventing vehicles from encroaching onto the cycle lanes.

We also know from evidence elsewhere that adding protected cycle lanes along retail streets is likely to be good for business. If the wands were replaced by something more permanent it would also be possible to remove the existing bollards to widen the pavements.

Gosforth High Street near Elmfield Road

7. Less Stressful to Drive

Just having one lane also makes driving along Gosforth High Street less stressful, and doesn’t make any real difference to journey times as it is junctions rather than the number of lanes that  constrain journey times.

Gosforth High Street, May 2019

Air Pollution

We know air pollution is no worse than in previous years and most likely will be slightly improved, but we haven’t included it in the list of improvements as we are still waiting on official measurements to see how 2020 compares with previous years.

In our previous blog Safe Gosforth High Street we compared air quality in September 2020 with previous years, and you can also follow daily readings from our Twitter feed @AirGosforthHiSt.

NO₂ at Gosforth High Street yesterday (27-07-2021)

24h Average: 39.91 µg/m³

7 Day Average: 30.54 µg/m³ pic.twitter.com/yrsMxWezZr

— AirGosforthHighSt (@AirGosforthHiSt) July 28, 2021

Still a Work in Progress

While it’s not perfect, the changes have demonstrated that Gosforth High Street can be improved from what it was, for all users not just those who drive through without stopping.

Of course if we are talking about improvements then we need to say what is it we are trying to improve. For example…

1. How could Gosforth High Street be made more attractive so more people want to come and spend their money?
2. What’s needed to enable the greatest number of people to travel to the High Street without making air pollution even worse?
3. How can we make it safer for children to walk or cycle to local schools, either with their parents if younger or independently?

If you think there are better questions though, please let us know via the comments below.

Gosforth High Street pre-Covid – Polluted, Noisy and Dangerous

Newcastle City Council Update – 28 July 2021
Newcastle City Council have made the following announcement which can also be read here.

Some amendments are being made to the Covid measures on Gosforth High Street and Great North Road

Some amendments are being made to the scheme, work will start on 2nd August 2021:

• Social distancing measures on Gosforth High Street in the main shopping area to be largely retained.
• Withdrawal of any existing or intended measures southbound towards Hollywood Avenue.
• Removal of existing restrictions south of Hollywood Avenue to restore 2 running traffic lanes southbound towards Church Road. This means that car lanes will still need to merge after Christon Road as the bus lane remains.
• Cycle lanes in both directions will be retained and protected by wands to facilitate cycling whilst public transport capacity is reduced.
• At the Church Road junction, there will be 2 lanes on the southbound side, one left only into Church Road and one straight on. Buses can go straight on from the inside lane and the social distancing measures outside the Queen Victoria pub will be removed to facilitate the merge south of the junction.
• The former right turn pocket into Salters Road will not be reinstated yet.

The post Seven ways Gosforth High Street has changed for the better 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.

Newcastle City Council has published its plans to give more space to customers visiting  Gosforth High Street, to allow remaining shops to open safely and comply with the Government’s physical distancing rules.

This follows a direction from the UK Department of Transport to all UK Local Authorities saying that work should “begin at pace on closing roads to through traffic, installing segregated cycle lanes and widening pavements.”

This is both to enable physical distancing on busy streets such as Gosforth High Street, and to enable walking and cycling as an alternative to driving shorter journeys now that public transport can no longer operate at normal capacity. A video report by the Guardian newspaper estimates that “if 90% of people [in Newcastle] who usually use public transport drive instead that would be an increase of 48% more cars on the road.”  If that isn’t gridlock it would be very close.

The High Street plans are set out in diagrammatic form below and on the Council’s website. The photo at the top of the article is our SPACE for Gosforth mock up of how it might look once initial temporary measures are replaced with something a little bit more permanent.

Key changes are:

1. Wider pavements from Regent Centre to Elmfield Road. As more shops open and more people visit the High Street, this will provide space for queuing, enable people to pass each other, and create more space for families and household groups to walk together.
2. Waiting areas for shoppers queuing to get a bus home or into Newcastle.
3. Protecting the existing cycle lane between Regent Centre and Christon Road, enabling people to cycle all the way from Brunton Lane into Newcastle on protected lanes or (mostly) quiet roads. The Council say there isn’t space for wider pavements and a cycle lane on Gosforth High Street.
4. A new pedestrian crossing between Henry Street and Spital Terrace.
5. Disallowing the left turn from Salters Road towards Regent Centre, in order to create more space on the pavement. We hope this is something the Gosforth Hotel can take advantage of, although we are also concerned this may lead to increased traffic on neighbouring residential streets.
6. Pavements will be designated one-way, according to the Overview page for all five shopping streets although this isn’t mentioned in the page specifically about Gosforth High Street.

You can provide feedback on the proposal now, or wait until it has been implemented. According to the Council’s news article, schemes will be reviewed “three weeks after they are installed, giving local businesses and people time to get used to changes, and to consider whether further changes are needed.”

The Council says that “initially temporary materials such as cones and barriers will be used, with the view to more permanent materials potentially being installed following input from local councillors, residents, businesses and community groups.”

There are substantial advantages to trialling measures before making them permanent, as it allows residents and businesses to see how changes work in practice and quickly resolve any issues that do arise. Feedback from residents and businesses can be provided based on actual experience so the Council can focus on substantive issues, should any arise, rather than having to deal with misunderstandings of what is proposed or what might happen as a result. This also prevents long delays in the consultation process where discussions can end up being skewed towards (not always realistic) worst case scenarios rather than what is actually likely.

What are the Benefits? 

1. Changes are being made quickly to enable remaining businesses to open safely and minimise the risk of transmitting Covid-19. The approach taken using temporary measures enables this, ensuring flexibility to change if issues are found.
2. Creating more space for customers who will spend money in shops, rather than vehicles just passing through. This reallocation of space should help local businesses offset some of the negative consequences of physical distancing rules.
3. Crossing Gosforth High Street will be easier and safer for people on foot because the distance to cross will be much less. This is especially true for those who might take longer to cross due to mobility issues. Currently some drivers go through the pedestrian crossings on red when the lights are obscured by large vehicles in the inside lane.
4. People’s exposure to air pollution will be reduced as wider pavements means people can stand further away from vehicle exhausts. If traffic is restricted then that might also reduce traffic and pollution levels.
5. It should be safer for everyone on the High Street by reducing dangerous over and under-taking manoeuvres, and the narrower carriageway should encourage drivers to stick to the 20mph speed limit.
6. A safer protected cycle lane between Regent Centre and Christon Road will enable more people to cycle safely between the north of the city and the city centre, bypassing Gosforth High Street using the alternative route via Christon Road, Alwinton Terrace and Moor Road.

Points to consider

1. The plans do nothing yet to enable safe cycling to or across Gosforth High Street. Families, anyone who is less confident (i.e. most people), older or younger people will still have difficulty accessing local shops and services by bike. We hope this might be possible in a future iteration once physical distancing rules can be safely relaxed to give a further boost for local businesses.
2. We expect the plans will discourage speeding if the lane widths are not too wide (narrower lanes are safer because traffic drives slower). Extra signing might also be useful e.g. a 20mph sign painted on the road at the entry to the 20mph section.
3. We aren’t convinced a pedestrian one-way system is necessary as in most locations pavements can be made substantially wider than the minimum 4m width that is proposed, and could make visiting the shops harder for people with mobility issues. We would favour trialling this scheme without the one-way system to see first if that works and only introducing it if necessary.
4. Banning the left turn from Salters Road towards Regent Centre creates a risk of more traffic on Henry Street and Regent Road North, which are often busy with children travelling to or from school. This will need to be monitored along with other local roads and further action taken if necessary.
5. Ensuring businesses can continue to receive deliveries. This might require more use of back lanes and changes on side streets to turn short-stay parking into loading bays, and possibly to create additional disabled parking bays. SPACE for Gosforth produced a map of disable parking in 2016 which you can see here.
6. We think these plans will be beneficial for pollution levels as one lane of queuing traffic in the centre of the street is better than two pushed right up against current narrow pavements. Further measures do need to be taken though, in line with Newcastle’s air pollution plan to ensure legal limits are adhered to, in particular to ensure buses are retro-fitted with cleaner engines. You can follow air pollution levels on Gosforth High Street via SPACE for Gosforth’s @AirGosforthHiSt Twitter feed.

Other Plans for Gosforth and Newcastle

On the Safe Gosforth High Street website, the Council mentions further iterations of the scheme could involve additional cycling parking and preventing vehicle movements between the High Street and some side roads. This could create more space for street cafes or other space for businesses to operate outside.

A separate announcement has been made about proposals, which we support, for safer local streets that can more easily be used for walking and cycling, keeping through traffic on the main road network to create low traffic neighbourhoods for the benefit of residents. This includes changes at Salters Bridge, Stoneyhurst Road and Castle Farm Road to restrict vehicle traffic so they can be used safely for walking and cycling.

Changes are also being proposed for West Road in Elswick; Shields Road in Byker; Adelaide Terrace in Elswick; and Chillingham Road in Heaton. You can find out more about these schemes on the Council’s website newcastledistrictshoppingcentres.commonplace.is/.

Gosforth High Street plans should be implemented within the next few weeks.

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