People urged to have their say on traffic changes in Jesmond

The report is a further update to residents on the impact of trialling traffic changes in the Jesmond area. Several residential streets have been closed to through traffic between Osborne Road and Cradlewell as part of a neighbourhood low traffic zone trial. This prevents traffic cutting through local streets by re-routing vehicles on to more appropriate routes as part of the council’s safer, cleaner and greener neighbourhoods programme.

With five weeks left of the consultation, the reports sets out key issues that have been identified and how the council will address them to inform decision making on the long-term future of the scheme, including collecting more data and evidence.  

They are also urging people to use the council’s channels set up for the scheme via phone, email or consultation platform, to ensure they capture everyone’s feedback directly and they can contact people and businesses for further information.

The collecting of further data and information will be used to help the council make an evidence-based approach to fully understand the impact of the scheme on communities. This could include giving details of locations and times of journeys where people have raised concerns of increased journey times.

The main issues raised and how they will be addressed by the council include:

• Many residents have raised concerns about increased congestion on Osborne Road. Although there has been a recent increase in the number of vehicles using this road, traffic counts are similar to pre-pandemic levels. The council will commission further traffic surveys at the Osborne Road / Jesmond Road junction to understand traffic flows better and see if any further mitigation steps, such as additional signage, are required at this junction which will ease congestion. The council will also look at the option of using ANPR cameras to continue to monitor journey times along Osborne Road.
• Concerns have also been raised about congestion on Jesmond Road (A1058). Journey times did increase in both directions initially but eastbound journeys look to be returning to pre-pandemic levels, but westbound journeys between Benfield Road and Osborne Road are taking just over three minutes more at peak times.  Further concerns about the small amount of vehicles being able to turn right at the traffic signals for the Jesmond Road / Osborne Road junction have also been raised. The council will look at ways to encourage people travelling to Jesmond to use alternative routes via Portland Terrace and Osborne Terrace.
• Increases in traffic volume on Granville Road which the council will undertake additional monitoring.
• With increased traffic using Osborne Road, many residents have raised issues with air quality on this road. Air quality is being monitored which won’t be conclusive until June 2024, however early indicators show this is below the 40 ug/m3 where councils need to act. The council will carry out additional air pollution monitoring and are looking at adding more greenery and planting in the area to help improve air quality.
• Residents living within the zone who have experienced increased congestion exiting the zone as well as those who have to use more circuitous routes. The council will carry out a survey of residents within the zone to get specific examples of how they have been affected and to understand their overall views of the scheme.
• The challenges for working parents who need to drop children to and from school has also been raised. The council will be looking at data collected so far to establish the scale of the issue and is encouraging people to submit further evidence of the impact. A trial ‘walking bus’ to West Jesmond Primary School will be put in place and the council will talk to all local nurseries and private schools in the area about developing school travel plans. The council will write to all private secondary schools in the area asking them to remind parents about the excellent public transport links to Jesmond and the concessionary fares available to school students.
• Feedback has been received about the impact of the LTN on people with disabilities and on care provided to older people. In some cases concerns have been raised that there has been a negative impact and in others, people have reported no impact or a positive impact. The council will investigate whether these groups or others have been affected as part of the survey of residents living within the zone.
• The impact on local businesses within the trial has also been raised through the public consultation. The council will invite local businesses to provide further information and data.
• Some people have raised crime and safety issues, with regards to not feeling as safe with less traffic around.  The council will continue to monitor local crime data and we will seek further views from residents around safety.
• The impact on the emergency services has also been raised by residents. Northumbria Police have confirmed they support the continuation of the trial. Further engagement between the police and council will take place to look at whether any mitigation is required in relation to police operational issues. The North East Ambulance Service has confirmed that no issues or concerns have been raised by ambulance crews serving the local area. Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service has confirmed that crews have experienced no adverse operational impact as a result of the LTN. The council will continue to work with emergency services to analyse the date in relation to the trial, ensuring that public safety is a top priority.

Cllr Jane Byrne, cabinet member for a connected, clean city said: “This public consultation period is important as it allows us to listen to residents’ experiences, both for and against, and we want to ensure we’re hearing from all voices.

“During this trial, there has been several themes highlighted which we are keen to understand further as part of this consultation period. We want to come to a fair conclusion which is why we will be collecting more data and asking people for further information as this will inform our long-term decision making on the scheme.

“We would encourage everyone to use our official channels to leave us their feedback as we enter the last weeks of this consultation period.”

As part of the Jesmond East neighbourhood low traffic zone, closures were placed on Manor House Road and its junctions with Osborne Avenue, Shortridge Terrace, Buston Terrace, Cavendish Terrace and at the entrance to Manor House Road Back Lane and the junction of Manor House Road (opposite the back lane of Queens Road and Fern Avenue) which were in place on 6 March. Due to displacement of traffic as people sought to avoid the closures, additional measures were installed on Jesmond Dene Road and Akenside Terrace from 31 March.  

You can read the latest report here

Public consultation on the scheme runs until 10 September. People can join the online consultation at https://jesmondeasttrialsconsultation.commonplace.is  or email the team at transport@newcastle.gov.uk or call 0191 278 2767 requesting a call back.

The first  report is available at For publication East Jesmond Trial Interim Monitoring Report.pdf