Strategic Routes Working Group Meeting held on Tuesday, 15 May 2012 at
5.00pm
Present:
Bill Dodds (Chair) – Newcastle Cycling Campaign
Anne Clark – Newcastle City Council, Cycling Officer
Heather Evans – CTC (note taker)
Cllr Stephen Psallidas
Cllr David Hardman
Katja Leyendecker – Newcastle Cycling Campaign
Tony Waterston – Transition Jesmond
Stanley Worthy
David Ross – ARUP BUG
Apologies: Tom Bailey
City Centre to Gosforth (Brunton La/Great Park) route
There appeared to be two options:
Highbury Route: University Library cycle path – Brandling Villas – continuation north to Forsyth Rd
(although this section of the route is currently unavailable) – Highbury – cycle path to
Moorfield/Gosforth High St toucan
Great North Rd Route: As above but from Brandling Villas using the cycle path adjacent to the Great
North Rd
Highbury to Moorfield/Gosforth High St toucan
 University Library area: this is a pinch point - far too narrow with bollards that are too close
together. Cycles are fastened to the adjacent railings, narrowing the pedestrian path, which
means pedestrians are moving on to the cycle path. Additional cycle parking is needed.
 Cycle path towards the underpass: needs to be widened and the bushes removed (the underpass
is wide enough)
 Brandling Park: running a new 3m wide path through the Park to join Clayton Rd was mentioned
but the preferred option would be to remove car parking on one side of the road to create an onroad cycle lane
 Abbotsford Tce to Forsyth Rd: need to establish who owns the land between these roads (lighting
and security issues were raised)
 Highbury – Jesmond Dene Rd toucan: this could be the jumping off point for other routes – e.g.
Ilford Rd to South Gosforth, Hadricks Mill, Longbenton etc
 Little Moor: the path needs widening
 Moorfield to the Gosforth High Street toucan or a parallel route along Moorfield to Christon Rd is
also available
Jesmond residents felt this route didn’t go near enough to north Jesmond. Highbury (close Lyndhurst
Gdns) – Forsyth Rd - Tankerville Tce (very busy at school times) - Burdon Tce - Abbotsford Tce could
be used instead, although this isn’t a direct route from Gosforth.
Clayton Rd was felt to be dangerous.
Great North Rd to Moorfield/Gosforth High St toucan
 Blue House roundabout: a scheme with provision for cyclists had been drawn up a couple of
years ago but funding wasn’t forthcoming. This roundabout is a major problem on this section of
the route. If this was to be the Strategic Route then a Toucan crossing across Jesmond Dene
Road would be necessary.
Gosforth High Street northwards to the Brunton La/Great Park
 Double yellow lines are needed to prevent parking in the cycle lanes
 Replace the pedestrian refuge before Elmfield Rd with a zebra, although right/left turn pockets
would be lost
 The kerbs are built out at the pedestrian signals just after Elmfield Rd, narrowing the road
 Loading and disabled parking is allowed on the High St however opportunistic parking by
shoppers created problems
 Could a “red route” as in London help with parking issues?
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Problems with the roundabout at the Regent Centre
Could the central reservation be removed towards the Broadway roundabout and a bus/bike lane
provided?
The road surface is currently poor in places
Polwarth Rd north – the old service road could be used
Is traffic control the solution or should traffic be freer flowing? Could signals be replaced by minroundabouts or peak period signals? This was raised by an individual but discounted by others as
it was felt that cyclists preferred traffic lights to roundabouts
Count down time displays could be used at signals or green waves to allow cyclists to travel at
say 10/15mph.
Conclusion
The Highbury route is the preferred route if the land issues can be overcome [The playing fields
between Abbotsford Terrace and Highbury are Town Moor land. AC]
Gosforth High Street: double yellow lines are needed to prevent parking in the cycle lanes; replace
the pedestrian refuge with a zebra; investigate a “red route”; take out the central reservation beyond
the Regent Centre
An additional route through Jesmond should be investigated at a later stage