Category Archives: Safety

Hoppings Traffic Management

A few weeks back the Hoppings arrived to take over the Town Moor. In this blog we look at transport-related issues raised by this event and hope that everyone involved in its organisation, including The Freemen, the Council and Northumbria Police, will learn and improve so that next year's Hoppings can be safe and accessible for all visitors. Read more [...]

Gosforth High Street – Good Policy, Terrible Plan

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. This is the SPACE for Gosforth response. Read more [...]

Northumbria Police and Crime Plan 2023

SPACE for Gosforth supports well-evidenced initiatives to ensure walking and cycling are safe for anyone who wishes to walk or cycle, regardless of age or ability. An important part of this is road policing, to minimise dangerous and careless driving and other behaviours that create risks for people while walking or cycling. Read more [...]

Sat Navs are ruining Gosforth

The website CityMonitor recently published an article "How Google Maps is ruining your neighbourhood". The article explains that, since they were introduced in 2009, Sat Nav apps have caused an increase of traffic on minor roads. While the sales pitch of Sat Nav apps is that they enable drivers to avoid congestion, the actual outcome is that minor roads can now be just as congested as main roads.

In effect traffic has been displaced from main roads onto minor roads. Read more [...]

Haddricks Mill – Return of the Traffic

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

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

We still love Gosforth High Street

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. Read more [...]

Traffic Crash Injury 2021

This is our third blog sharing local media stories about people killed or injured in road traffic collisions in Newcastle upon Tyne. In 2021 there have been two fatalities and over seventy serious injuries on Newcastle's roads.

Serious injury and death on the roads is not inevitable. To a large extent, injuries from road traffic collisions are the result of political choices that have prioritised saving a few seconds on a journey over people's wellbeing and safety. When we see articles praising Read more [...]