Strategic Routes Working Group Meeting held on Tuesday, 8 May 2012 at 5.00pm

Present:Apologies: none

Bill Dodds (Chair) – Newcastle Cycling Campaign

Anne Clark – NewcastleCity Council, Cycling Officer

Heather Evans– CTC (note taker)

Graham Johnson - Sustrans

Tom Bailey – Newcastle Cycling Campaign

Cllr Stephen Psallidas

Cllr Greg Stone

Cllr David Hardman

Paul Adams – North Tyneside Council,

Longbenton to City Centreroute

Discussed were:

  • Four Lane Ends – Benton Road – ArmstrongBridge – Sandyford Road or Jesmond Road
  • Longbenton Metro – Newton Road or JesmondPark West – ArmstrongBridge – Sandyford Road or Jesmond Road

These routes go near to major employment sites, a student campus and a supermarket site, hospital, HeatonManorSchool.

Four Lane Ends

The roundabout here is very busy

Benton Road

Is a busy road but is direct

The Coxlodge Waggonway crosses this road

Suggestions:

  • the road should be single lane
  • take out the central reservation and provide cycle lanes
  • use one side of the carriageway for two-way traffic with the other side used as a two-way service road and by cyclists

Sandyford Road

From Portland Terrace eastwards there are a couple of pinch points

The east side footway is quite wide from the Jesmond Road junction. This isn’t signed as shared use but fast moving cyclists are using this, causing problems for pedestrians from the adjacent old peoples home. The footway then joins a cycle lane

Suggestions:

  • closing the road to all but buses/cycles
  • a tidal solution
  • taking out the footway on the west side (Cemetery side) and providing cycle lanes. There is spare land on the Cemetery side, behind the wall. Suggested the wall be breached with a new path behind the wall (security problems) or the wall moved back.

Jesmond Road

Westbound from ArmstrongBridge, Rosebery Crescent could be used

Eastbound, the old road could be used to Osborne Avenue. Motor traffic needs reducing on Osborne Avenue

The path on the south side is shareduse with a pinch point at the west end, near the bus garage

From Jesmond Metro there is a quiet route to the Civic Centre

The dip under the Central Motorway is off-putting for some. Is the bus lane needed along this section of road?

After discussion it was preferred that the route from ArmstrongBridge went via Rehills, Dene Deli, then Jesmond Road to Sandyford Road.

Newton Roadand Jesmond Park West

Northbound – climbs to Cragside then loses height when going east on Dovedale

Some cyclists avoid part of climb/drop by linking through Goswick Avenueto the roundabout of Cragside and Benton Road. However Goswick Avenue is closed off at the roundabout

Dovedale/Benton Road – the centre of roundabout is being raised

Jesmond Park West has cycle lanes to Heaton Manor school, but climbs, has poor surface and a lot of resident parking

Cycle counts

There are cycle counters on the cycle routes at ArmstrongBridge; on the waggonway next to the Freeman; next to Jesmond Metro; and on Sandyford Road next to Scottish Life House.

North Tyneside routes

It is important that the preferred route joins in to routes being proposed by North Tyneside. If LSTF monies are received they are planning a link for cyclists from Four Lane Ends along Benton Lane to the QuorumBusinessPark. It wasn’t known if this would be on or off-road. There is a bus lane southbound on part of this road. The other main route from North Tyneside is the Coast Road route.

Strategic routes

The agreed objectives need to be met which includes an average speed of 12mph. This could mean that major roads need to be re-shaped in line with the hierarchy of users, which would give support to the re-allocation of road space.

It was queried if the principle was for all routes to be along major roads, and the suggestion was made that a direct estate road should be used if the distance was similar even if it climbed more. This would be less expensive to put in. This could be an interim solution until major funding was available.

Conclusion

The preferred route is Four Lane Ends – Benton Road – ArmstrongBridge – Sandyford Road.

It was recognised that it may not be possible for our Strategic Routes to meet all of our agreed criteria throughout the whole length of the route from the outset, although it was envisaged that this would become possible as time went on.

Key points from the concluding discussion were;

  • Four Lane Ends junction needs attention (traffic flows suggest that this needs done anyway)
  • Benton Road needs on road provision for cyclists and treatment at junctions
  • Possibly reduce road to one lane of traffic flow, removal of central reservation, pavement parking, cycle lane with buffer strip (for parked cars) or use one side of carriageway for road other side for service road
  • Option appraisal for Horsley Road or Holystone Crescent/Craster Terrace as linking route from Corner House to Benton Road
  • Sandyford Road options
  • Least favoured was continued use of shared footpath
  • Make road access only using restrictions (exemptions for Buses and Bikes)
  • Bike lane either side with single lane of tidal flow of traffic
  • Remove northside footpath and convert to cycle lane
  • Setback cemetery wall and create greater road width

Future Meetings

15 May – Gosforth to City Centre

22 May – West Denton to City Centre

29 May – City Centre

(7 June – Cycling Forum)

26 June – Great Park to City Centre (apologies Bill Dodds)