New measures installed to improve active travel in Heaton, Newcastle

Credit: Newcastle City Council

Newcastle City Council has announced that new low traffic measures have been installed in Heaton, Newcastle upon Tyne, in order to reduce congestion and improve active travel in the neighbourhoods. This follows on from a similar scheme which had been implemented in Fenham in March 2022.

Using an Experimental Traffic Regulation Order (ETRO), Newcastle City Council is trialling the closure of a number of streets to motor vehicles that will help to make them safer and easier for people to walk, wheel and cycle on.

The measures include closures to motor vehicles on  Bolingbroke Street, Cardigan Terrace, Heaton Park View and Falmouth Road.  Double yellow lines on Stannington Avenue to prevent inconsiderate parking will be introduced, as well as changes to Stratford Road to improve safety by changing priority at this junction.  

The trial measures also link up with the School Street scheme at Hotspur Primary School, as well as the cycle lane on Heaton Road, providing good quality and safe walking and wheeling routes in the local area.

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“The changes in Heaton will create safer, cleaner, greener and more people-friendly neighbourhoods. The scheme we are implementing is based on feedback from the public and tackles issues people raised,” said Councillor Jane Byrne, Cabinet Member for a Connected, Clean City. “With less traffic cutting through local streets, neighbourhoods become much safer and better for the people living there. It also encourages people to walk and cycle on local journeys, which has a big impact on people’s health and wellbeing, improves air quality, as well as greatly improving safety for children getting around their local area, which is why we’ll be rolling this programme out to further areas of the city.”

The changes can remain in place for up to 18 months, with public consultation running until 23 April 2023. Feedback from the consultation will be reviewed alongside data collected, to determine whether the scheme should be made permanent.

In order to complement the trial, the council has proposed to make further changes in the area, including an improved pedestrian crossing on Heaton Park Road, as well as access improvements for emergency vehicles and refuse collections to back lanes through new sections of double yellow lines. These are permanent measures, which are subject to further statutory engagement, which will follow on in early 2023.