Coast Road bus lane is just ‘a possibility’ insist transport chiefs
TRANSPORT chiefs have admitted they will look into the possibility of a bus lane on the Coast Road – but have insisted they are not committed to the idea.
The prospect of a bus lane on a section of one of the busiest routes into Newcastle has been the subject of much intrigue and concern among local politicians over recent weeks.
Newcastle City Council denied last month that it was pursuing plans for a Coast Road bus lane, but there was confusion as the project was named in a study on the council website listing transport schemes in the pipeline.
Opposition councillors brought the issue before a scrutiny committee last week, amid concerns about a lack of public knowledge over the potential changes and the impact for an area that already suffers from heavy congestion.
Civic centre officials disclosed that a Coast Road bus lane will be examined in a new study looking at ways to lessen the disruption to Newcastle’s highways network during the upcoming restoration work on the Tyne Bridge.
Pamela Holmes, interim director of transport, said the authority is “not trying to hide anything” and had no obligation to install a bus lane if modelling suggested it would not be a success.
She said that the document which detailed the Coast Road designs was published as “background information” in relation to a £9.3m funding decision, which will allow for upgrades to traffic light technology.
That decision notice, which the council’s overview and scrutiny committee voted to let proceed on Thursday, also includes a £114,000 allocation for the feasibility study into mitigation measures to reduce congestion on city bus routes when the capacity of the Tyne Bridge is halved from April 2.
Proposals include a bus lane on a section of the Coast Road as it enters Newcastle, extending the existing Sandyford Road bus lane, and changes in the junctions of Benfield Road, the Corner House and Jesmond Road.
Lib Dem councillor Greg Stone said he supported improvements to public transport and active travel infrastructure, but raised concerns about a bus lane potentially leading to more traffic congestion and air pollution at what is already a major pinch point.
In 2022, a spot near the Corner House junction was named as the most polluted in the entire city by far.
Coun Stone said the council needed to show “greater transparency” around a plan which had clearly been in the works for some time, adding: “There has been mention of a bus lane corridor in various reports over various years.
“We can see that it is a major congested route in the city. We know about the air quality. We need to get some clarity on how we plan to take this forward.”
Independent councillor Marc Donnelly also expressed fears about the potential for bus lanes elsewhere in Newcastle – with Stamfordham Road and Grandstand Road having also been named as possible locations, alongside the prospect of a no-stopping ‘red route’ on Westgate Road.
He told the committee that there was a risk of “unprecedented” queues around the A1 roundabout at Westerhope and that road upgrades promised for the Outer West to help cope with the impact of thousands of new homes being built had not been delivered.
Coun Donnelly said it would be an “insult” to residents for any new bus lanes to go ahead without public consultation.
Ms Holmes replied that the ideas had not been discussed with the public “because at this point we have not brought any of them forward to be implemented”, adding that any and all schemes would be subject to consultation and due diligence.
She said: “It is right that we do the feasibility on this. It [the funding] allows us to do the modelling and assessment.
“But we would never implement it without coming back to members. If they don’t work for us in our city then we are under no obligation to put them in.”
A Newcastle City Council spokesperson said after the meeting: “We want to empower residents to shape our decisions.
“If you, our communities, tell us that introduction of new bus lanes will benefit residents, and traffic modelling and data supports that view, then we would consider a future scheme.
“However, we are not proposing any scheme as part of this decision.
“We have welcomed the opportunity to make this position clear and hope that the focus can now turn to a multi-million investment in our existing infrastructure.
“This is an investment that will improve journey times for thousands of people who live and work in this city and improve the reliability of our public transport network.”