It’s been some time since our last update because we’ve been busy converting the findings from our public consultation and internal council consultations into briefs to amend the original drawings in the neighbourhood plans for Heaton & Ouseburn; Jesmond; & Arthur’s Hill & Fenham.

The amended scheme drawings have also been thoroughly costed so we have a much clearer idea of what is affordable and achievable within the available budget.

It was always our intention to propose a greater number of schemes than we had the budget for, thereby creating a sub set of ‘go to’ proposals in each area that could be brought forward in the event of other funding being identified.

Shortlisted schemes

We have discussed the options for each area with the Streets for People reference groups and fed this back to local Ward Councillors who have determined the following shortlisted schemes to progress to formal consultation and delivery.

Heaton & Ouseburn

• Cycle track and junction improvements along Heaton Road connecting the existing cycle track to the Corner House;
• Closing Tintern Crescent to motor traffic at the Heaton Park View end;
• Closing Sefton Avenue to motor traffic at the Cartington Terrace end and the back lane; and
• Changing the priority of the junction of Stannington Avenue and Stannington Grove.

Jesmond

• Traffic calming and junction improvements along Moorfield and cycle track on Ilford Road between Jesmond Dene Road and Moorfield;
• Pedestrian crossings and cycling facilities on Osborne Road at the junctions with St George’s Terrace and North Jesmond Avenue;
• Raised tables to improve the experience for people walking or trying to cross at the road ends along St George’s Terrace;
• Closing Norham Place to motor vehicles near the junction with Mistletoe Road; and
• Decluttering Brentwood Avenue to improve the pedestrian experience and adding some cycle parking near the shops.

Arthur’s Hill & Fenham

• Near Moorside Community Primary we intend to provide raised tables to improve the experience for people walking and trying to cross. We will also build out the kerb lines to reduce turning speeds on the junctions of the side streets leading onto Beaconsfield Street;
• Near Westgate Hill Primary School we want to introduce a toucan crossing, and build out the kerb line and raise the surface on the end of Gloucester Road and Beaconsfield Street to reduce traffic turning speeds. We will also widen and resurface the footway outside the parade of shops with a raised surface across the back lane on Westgate Road east of Beaconsfield Street.
• On Lonnen Avenue we will tighten the end of the junction and provide a raised surface leading onto Two Ball Lonnen.
• We intend to remove the mini roundabout feature and extend the pathways to tighten up the junction on Cedar Road, Lonnen Avenue, Convent Road and Linden Avenue. We also want to make it easier for people to cross the road and introduce traffic calming measures and a zebra crossing across Cedar Road.
• We also intend to introduce an experimental traffic order to remove through traffic on Nuns Moor Road. A restriction would be introduced east of Gowland Avenue and west of Nuns Moor Crescent. We also intend to build out the kerb lines and introduce raised surfaces across the junctions of Bolbec Road and Gowland Avenue onto Cedar Road to make crossing the road much easier.
• We are also working on an ERDF funding bid that will, if successful, enable us to use some match funding from the Streets for People project to continue the delivery of a greater amount of the main East / West cycle route heading towards the city centre.

Next Steps

We are now working on the detailed design of schemes and putting together a programme for delivery of schemes, which we hope will begin in the next few weeks and will provide a further update when it is in place.

We recognise that some people involved in this process may not agree with the shortlisted schemes, and appreciate they will have their own preferences. We also recognise that the delivery of the above schemes are subject to statutory consultation processes and it is clear that some will be significantly more controversial than others. We hope we can rely on your ongoing engagement with the process to get a range of improvements delivered.

Since we published the three findings reports earlier this Spring (see below), we’ve been talking the findings through with technical officers in the council. These have included Highway Engineers and Traffic Management Engineers, as well as local Councillors and the Streets for People Reference Groups. Considering all that feedback together has led us to issue project briefs for detailed design work to be undertaken to amend the designs we consulted you about last year.

We hope to have new drawings to share and some proposals for trials and further consultation in the Autumn.