Bus priority measures which were trialled on Gosforth High Street will be made permanent, it has been confirmed today (4 September).
Since March 2023, the north bound bus lane has been almost continuously extended from Blue House roundabout in the south to the Church Road/Salters Road junction in the north, as part of a scheme to improve public transport on a key bus corridor in the city.
With the trial nearing its conclusion, Newcastle City Council has reviewed the data collected, including accident statistics, as well as feedback from the public as part of the decision-making process on this first phase of improvements to Gosforth High Street.
Journey time data collected by Stagecoach shows that their bus services have seen improvements, with increased reliability on this key bus corridor. At the same time, data has shown that the bus lane has had a minimal impact on other journeys.
A common theme of the feedback from the people taking part in the consultation centred around a perceived lack of active travel as part of the scheme. The council is keen to stress that improvements to walking and cycling are part of the next phase of improvements to Gosforth High Street. Plans are being developed which will include public engagement events to help shape improved walking and cycling routes to the High Street.
Cllr Marion Williams, cabinet member for a Sustainable City at Newcastle City Council said: “As we have set out, we’re committed to improving road safety, creating better public transport links and encouraging active travel around the Gosforth High Street area. I would like to thank everyone who took part in the public consultation on this first phase of improvements, focusing on prioritising public transport on one of the busiest routes for buses in the city.
“We’ve looked at the data and the feedback from the public and we know that the scheme works well, with bus passengers seeing improvements in their journey times and bus reliability which is exactly the change we need to encourage people out of their cars and onto public transport, as we create a more sustainable city.
“This is only the first phase of the plans for this area, we will be looking at further improvements, especially around active travel, which we know people are keen to see and which will further support people in being able to make sustainable choices on how they move around the city.
“We will be inviting local people to help shape the next phase of improvements.”
Link to Delegated Decision