Press – Newcastle Cycling Campaign

Gosforth High Street bollards to be removed but replacement plan branded ‘extremely dangerous’

11th March 2023 Newcastle Cycling Campaign Press

Chronicle – 7 March 2023 (Daniel Holland) Council bosses plan to install a new bus lane along the high street to replace the bollards, which were installed to create social distancing space in 2020 Gosforth High Street’s much-criticised bollards are set to be removed this month – but plans to replace them with a new bus lane have been labelled “extremely dangerous”. Newcastle City Council has confirmed that it will at last get rid of the bollards that have provoked widespread frustration since they were installed in 2020. The changes were made as part of emergency measures during the Covid[…]

New cycleway to be built outside Newcastle’s RVI next year in major upgrade to ‘dangerous’ route

3rd October 2022 NewCycling Press

Chronicle – 28 September 2022 (Daniel Holland) Work to install a permanent, segregated cycleway on Queen Victoria Road is due to begin in the new year A permanent redesign of the road outside Newcastle’s Royal Victoria Infirmary (RVI) is finally set to get under way next year. City transport chiefs have announced the latest on plans for a major transformation of Queen Victoria Road. Temporary cycle lanes have been in place on the busy city centre street since the pandemic summer of 2020, brought in as a means of supporting social distancing by giving road space over to walkers and[…]

Heaton junctions to be shut off to cars as council reveals latest crackdown on rat runs

3rd October 2022 NewCycling Press

Chronicle – 27 September 2022 (Daniel Holland) City transport bosses have confirmed that ‘low traffic neighbourhood’ plans to stop drivers cutting through a series of residential streets will come into force next month Multiple road junctions in Heaton will be shut off to cars in latest efforts to crack down on rat running. City transport bosses have confirmed that ‘low traffic neighbourhood’ plans to stop drivers cutting through a series of residential streets will come into force next month, almost a year after they were first set out. The changes, due to be made on October 24, will mean that[…]

Cyclists’ fury as Gosforth High Street bollard removal plans branded ‘massive backwards step’

3rd October 2022 NewCycling Press

Chronicle – 23 September 2022 (Daniel Holland) Campaigners have claimed the plans “won’t help reduce pollution” or bring in more shoppers Long-awaited plans to redesign Gosforth High Street have been branded a “massive backwards step” by furious cycling campaigners. Newcastle City Council announced on Thursday that it plans to remove the much-criticised bollards that have lined the high street for two years and install wider pavements, promising a more “people-friendly” area with new seating and greenery. But the proposals were met with an immediate backlash over a lack of any dedicated space for people on bikes. While campaigners had hoped[…]

Local organisations back Low Traffic Neighbourhoods

27th September 2020 NewCycling News, Politics, Press

The Newcastle Cycling Campaign is one of 10 community groups in Newcastle and North Tyneside who, along with around 120 other organisations from across the UK, have signed a national statement calling on leaders of councils to take action to roll out more low traffic neighbourhoods (LTNs). The statement says: “Now more than ever we need safe and spacious routes for walking and cycling to stop the air and noise pollution, and danger that traffic inflicts on our neighbourhoods… That’s why we welcome the leadership of councils who are working tirelessly to make sure changes to streetspace aren’t lost as[…]

‘It no longer looks like a car park’ – praise for huge Grey Street changes to cut down on traffic

22nd August 2020 NewCycling Press

Chronicle – 7 August 2020 (Daniel Holland) Parking bays and a lane of traffic have been removed from Newcastle’s most beautiful street to make way for cyclists, pedestrians, and more pavement cafes A major redesign of Newcastle’s most iconic street to cut down on city centre traffic has been applauded by local businesses and cyclists. Huge changes on Grey Street were introduced last week – removing most of its parking bays and restricting traffic to southbound only to create extra social distancing space for pedestrians, pavements cafes, and a new cycle lane. The Georgian street, once named the best in[…]

‘Ludicrous’ or ‘wonderful’? Reaction from day one of Newcastle rat run bridge closures

22nd August 2020 NewCycling Press

Chronicle – 13 August 2020 (Daniel Holland) Newcastle City Council closed five bridges in residential neighbourhoods to traffic on Thursday morning, in an experimental move that has sparked fierce debate in recent weeks. Controversial traffic bans on five Newcastle bridges have come into force – and were met with a mixture of anger, joy, and calls for constructive talks after weeks of fierce debate. Traffic cones and closure signs appeared on Thursday morning in the first stage of Newcastle City Council’s plans to cut rat-running by shutting five crossings to traffic – Salters Bridge in Gosforth, Castle Farm Road next[…]

New images reveal how five rat run Newcastle bridges could look after vehicles are banned next week

9th August 2020 NewCycling Press

Chronicle – 7 August 2020 (Daniel Holland) Newcastle City Council is set to close five crossings in residential neighbourhoods to vehicles from next Thursday, August 13, in an effort to cut pollution and create safer space for walking and cycling. The affected sites will be Salters Bridge in Gosforth, Castle Farm Road next to Jesmond Dene, Haldane Bridge in Jesmond, the Argyle Street Bridge near Manors Metro station, and Stoneyhurst Bridge in South Gosforth. The Stoneyhurst closure in particular has sparked a fierce debate among locals, some of whom fear that cutting off access will lead to heavy congestion on surrounding roads.[…]

Councils urged not to back down amid anger over huge road changes to boost walking and cycling

20th July 2020 NewCycling Press

Evening Chronicle – 17 July 2020 (Daniel Holland) Opposition from motorists and businesses has led campaigners to fear that emergency overhauls of busy streets across the region could be watered down or scrapped Campaigners are pleading with North East councils to not back down over emergency walking and cycling measures being installed, amid mounting objections from motorists and businesses. Busy roads across the region are seeing major changes to help pedestrians and cyclists get around while safely social distancing, with highway space and parking for vehicles reduced or road traffic completely banned. … Sally Watson, from the Newcastle Cycling Campaign,[…]

Huge social distancing changes to Newcastle’s iconic Grey Street are still weeks away from starting

4th June 2020 NewCycling Press

Evening Chronicle – 3 May 2020 (Daniel Holland) Plans were unveiled in May for a major reconfiguration of the historic city centre street to give pedestrians and cyclists extra space as more shops and businesses reopen. A dramatic redesign of Newcastle’s iconic Grey Street will not start until the end of June. Plans were unveiled in May for a major reconfiguration of the historic city centre street to give pedestrians and cyclists extra space for social distancing. But while new cycle lanes and one-way pavements have been introduced on busy routes around the Royal Victoria Infirmary, it will still be several weeks[…]