Strategic Routes Working Group Meeting held on Tuesday, 29 May 2012 at 5.00pm

Present: Apologies: Cllr Stephen Psallidas

Bill Dodds (Chair) – Newcastle Cycling Campaign Cllr David Hardman

Anne Clark – Newcastle City Council, Cycling Officer

Heather Evans – CTC (note taker)

David Stith – Newcastle City Council BUG

Claire Prospert – Newcastle Cycling Campaign

Katja Leyendecker – Newcastle Cycling Campaign

Scott Dawson – Newcastle Cycling Campaign

Tom Bailey – Newcastle Cycling Campaign

One Core Strategy consultation

The references to cycling in the 2011 draft NewcastleGateshead One Core Strategy were highlighted. This also included the hierarchy of provision, with cyclists after pedestrians but before public transport. The Accessible City bid which failed to attract funding was also referred to and many of its proposals had been included in the current UDP.

Consultation on a revised draft One Core Strategy and Urban Core Area Action Plan will be taking place from 20 June. The seven strategic routes and the links to/through the City Centre will be included in the Action Plan. Details of proposed strategic bus routes are needed as it is important that two-way cycling is still allowed on these routes. The central location of bus stations and car parks doesn’t help. Development sites will also be included. The Strategy also looks at controlling traffic by level of emissions.

Inner Distributer route (IDR)

This uses St Mary’s Place – John Dobson St – Market St – Newgate St – Percy St. The IDR is the strategic cycle route network around the City Centre and sections are signed as the Great North Cycleway. Problems have still to be overcome at the top of John Dobson St and Percy St/St Mary’s Pl.

Strategic Routes agreed and entry to the IDR (shown in dark blue on the map)

·  Newburn route: Bigg Lamp – Corporation St - Science Central site – Heber St – Strawberry Place – Percy St (spur to Rye Hill and Central Station suggested)

·  Gosforth route: University Library – St Mary’s Place

·  Longbenton route: Sandyford Rd – St Mary’s Pl

·  Benfield route: old University Bridge – John Dobson St

·  Walker route: new University Bridge – John Dobson St

Strategic Routes, exact line of routes yet to be agreed (shown in orange on the map)

·  West Denton route: Barrack Rd – Strawberry Pl – Percy St (to go out for further consultation)

·  Great Park route: Town Moor – Claremont Rd – Percy St (to be discussed on 26 June)

Additional routes to be recommended (shown in pale blue on the map)

·  route from Jesmond

·  Walkergate via Shields Rd

Additional route to the west to be determined (shown in dotted light blue on the map)

·  Westmorland Rd or

·  Scotswood Rd

City Centre overview (routes in red on the map agreed)

·  IDR and links to the High Level and Tyne Bridges

·  Redheugh Bridgehead - St James Boulevard – Gallowgate

·  St James Boulevard – Westmorland Rd – Neville St – Collingwood St – Mosley St – Pilgrim St roundabout

·  Clayton St – from Westmorland Rd-Newgate St

·  Grainger St – from Neville St/Newgate St

Other comments/suggestions

·  There are only a handful of “through roads” in the City Centre and few opportunities for realistic ”shortcuts” due to the densely built-up nature of the area

·  All City Centre streets should be improved for cycling e.g. ASL’s at all signalised junctions

·  The key is that all highway schemes in the City Centre need to have strong cyclist input to their design

·  The focus of City Centre work needs to be on the “hot spots” on the network, where there is a clear discontinuity or a hazard (a map was available showing these). The hot spots will be investigated for solutions.

Next steps

A map of the proposed routes will be circulated prior to discussion at the Cycling Forum meeting on 7 June.

[Additional information not available at meeting: From 1994 to 2011 traffic in Newcastle city centre fell by 47%.]