In 2020 two people were killed and over fifty seriously injured on Newcastle's roads alone. These are not 'statistics', they were mums, dads, children, friends and neighbours. Four of those serious injuries were on or near Gosforth High Street. Almost two thirds of those seriously injured were classified in official reports as being pedestrians or cyclists.
Although the vast majority of incidents are still not reported in the media, other than to warn of potential delays, thanks to local press Read more [...] Traffic Crash Injury 2020
In 2020 two people were killed and over fifty seriously injured on Newcastle's roads alone. These are not 'statistics', they were mums, dads, children, friends and neighbours. Four of those serious injuries were on or near Gosforth High Street. Almost two thirds of those seriously injured were classified in official reports as being pedestrians or cyclists.
Although the vast majority of incidents are still not reported in the media, other than to warn of potential delays, thanks to local press Read more [...] 
The Government is reviewing The Highway Code, in particular "to improve safety for pedestrians, particularly children, older adults and disabled people, cyclists and horse riders."
As part of this review, between July and October 2020, the Department for Transport asked for views on proposed changes "on overtaking, passing distances, cyclist and pedestrian priority at junctions, opening vehicle doors and responsibility of road users." This blog sets out SPACE for Gosforth's response to 
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 
Newcastle City Council has announced plans, as part of its Covid-19 response, to close five local bridges to through traffic, so they can be used in safety by people who don't currently feel comfortable walking or cycling because of the volume of traffic. 
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. 
In December 2015, responding to the Council's initial consultation, we said "Currently this is a busy dual carriageway with frequent busses and fast-moving traffic: it is hard for pedestrians to cross and is largely unsuited to all but the bravest of cyclists." Now crossing is easier and local residents can cycle safely in relative comfort along this stretch of road, and it is now one of the few places in Newcastle where it is possible to cycle safely along a main road. 
In our last blog we shared how city transport planners are responding to COVID-19. In this blog we look at how people in Gosforth are using streets differently because of the pandemic and what Newcastle City Council could implement quickly in the short term to support that.
The Government and Council's initial response to COVID-19 has been, quite rightly, to ensure people are safe and well, protect jobs and critical services, and to minimise the spread of the virus. Already by mid-April 2020 the virus has killed thousands of people in the UK alone, and left unchecked would kill many many more.