1. A quick look at what ought to be a priority for Newcastle’s new transport lead: improving Manors’ Railway Station. Manors has 2 problems: 1. lack of services 2. it’s neglected and isolated

Interesting critique of our Metro system. @northeastptug.bsky.social

In the May edition of Highways magazine I hit the anecdotes about car parking and how there should be more honesty around what "free" actually means. Digital edition free as ever. www.highwaysmagazine.co.uk/latest-issues #HighwaysMagazine

Labour’s 15-year stint in power in Newcastle is over – but there remains major uncertainty over who will run the city now | Daniel Holland

Sadly this did not involve converting the grim underpasses to street crossing!

Newcastle City Council Results (all up) LDM: 25 (+2) GRN: 24 (+22) RFM: 24 (+24) IND: 3 (-3) LAB: 2 (-44) CON: 0 (-1) Labour LOSS to NOC Changes w/ 2022/23/24 (new boundaries).

Newcastle park cafes reopening plan Notices posted on the council’s website reveal that, as of 6 May, authorisation has been approved to grant a tenancy at will for both cafes – followed by a 10-year lease northeastbylines.co.uk/region/tynes...

Congratulations to David Attenborough -- who spent his free time as a teenager riding his bicycle around England's East Midlands region searching for fossils -- on his 100th trip around the sun. One of his secrets? "If I can bicycle, I bicycle." Happy #BicycleBirthday, David! Born May 8, 1926

According to Google Maps, Washington is less than 10 miles grom Grey St - it really shouldn’t be this difficult to work out how to cycle there safely!

Our latest blog looks at the transport policies of the parties who are fielding candidates in the Gosforth wards for Thursday’s elections for Newcastle Council.

The woman was taken to hospital and police are urging witnesses to come forward

Compare to the Late Shows, clear messaging, and an actual, free, alternative laid on. Can't wait until next weekend.

Police are appealing for witnesses following a collision on Brunton Lane which left two cyclists with serious injuries

Because carz? We have waited an age for a Movement Strategy, one that re-affirmed our Transport Hierarchy. Yet the sign fails to say, Walk, Cycle, get the bus, metro or even a taxi, or car share. Just carz and parking.

The ONLY reason this scheme in Jesmond is being prioritised, is because the coroner recommended doing something here. For what it's worth, I'm still massively against needing human sacrifice before we make our roads safer. bsky.app/profile/newc...

Including a lot on transport.

We would love to see the Transport Officers demonstrating how this is adequate for cycling. Ideally at rush hour & on a non-electric cargo bike.

Our friends in North Tyneside are having a Kidical Mass event on Sunday at 2pm. Find out all the details on their Facebook page at m.facebook.com/events/14227... Check out the safe cycling infrastructure on the sea front in the sunshine and enjoy cake at the end.

We would like to see every parade of shops across the city have cycle parking available so people can leave their cycle in confidence while shopping. Ask your election candidates if they will support better cycle parking at your local shops. Good for business, good for the city, good for cycling.

NEW: More than 18,000 vehicles are being used in the UK without proper records of where their owners live, it has emerged, part of what Labour MP Sarah Coombes has called an increasing problem of “ghost owners” who cannot be held accountable for their driving. www.theguardian.com/money/2026/a...

As it’s St George’s Day, we’re looking back at Newcastle Council’s previous plans for Blackett Street. If these had been put in place, we would have a safe cycle route from Gosforth to the statue of St George & his dragon (the War Memorial) in Eldon Square. Sadly they weren’t, but we live in hope.

It's happening! 📢 On Tuesday, MPs will consider an amendment to enable local leaders to ban pavement parking in their area. We need you to help us get this amendment on to the Bill. Ask your MP to agree to Amendment 265 when it's considered on Tuesday: https://bitly.livingstreets.org.uk/4tMU2Uq

“Enhanced traffic flow planning will help visitors leave the site more easily.” Visitors could also walk; cycle (any parking?); get the Metro or take a bus on a very busy route - why no mention of these by the operator? @mikecookson.bsky.social @junasathian.bsky.social @northeastptug.bsky.social

Retweeting as aside from being a comprehensive guide (with one caveat) - the pics are from the NE’s own Whitley Bay! The caveat is that there is no mention of a childback tandem - cargo bikes might grab all the attention, but tandems are a lot of fun and (at least 2nd hand) are much cheaper.

This is a really interesting article - but there’s no need for the question in the title - cycles are a mobility aid & this needs to be recognised more.

Our multi storey car parks are under utilised, and driving around looking for an on street parking bay just adds to congestion. Lack of delivery bays and taxi bays leads to poor driver behaviour when picking up or dropping off. And don't get me started on the bins. Get them in enclosures!

Strongly agree with this. Newcastle should start a kerbside audit, deciding on the best use for that valuable task estate. Every space could be a loading bay, taxi bay, disabled bay, tree pit, a SUDs, a bin store, cycle locker, bike lane, bus lane, a car charging bay, a car club bay. Or a cafe.

There’s also an interesting objection that the traffic figures date from 2023 & don’t include impact of the Northumberland Line: a line so popular that they are having to add extra carriages! Again, this would make an interesting investigation for @chroniclelive.co.uk @northeastptug.bsky.social

Strong statement from the planner: “Everything is telling you that this will alleviate the congestion coming into Blyth. We’re saying it will work – there is nothing to tell us that it won’t other than speculation on your part.” Hopefully @chroniclelive.co.uk will investigate later if she is right.

📊 Newcastle has 1051.8km of roads, 1416.8km of footway, but only 36km of cycleway. 🚲 The city's safe cycling infrastructure is 3.42% the length of the road network. 🗣️ When you speak to candidates standing in next month's elections ask them if they support safe cycling for the whole city.

I think you saw my link to the sentencing guidelines. I'm aware of that case which is in the report I wrote last year. I agree it warranted a life ban. Only one case that year resulted in a lifetime ban - the prison sentence was 1 year longer than Anderson's.

This is a great writeup about an exploratory walk along a lost rail line in County Durham from Ferryhill to Bishop Auckland. It's a shame that these routes are lost and not even accessible by foot or cycle wheel. northeastbylines.co.uk/news/environ...

📅Earlier this year the Government announced local councils would receive new powers to prohibit pavement parking. 🔎We took a look at the damage pavement parking causes in Heaton 🔗 www.spaceforheaton.com/a-year-in-th... 🗣️With elections next month, ask your candidates what they'll do about this.

The law on dangerous driving is confusing because most have lost an understanding of what minimum driving standards look like. (Not my choice of headline) www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

Morning! If you’re someone who loves walking/cycling & history, I’ve built a walking planner & companion for the website. You put where you want to walk, and it will automatically pop up with historic sites from our project and of listed structures. Let me explain a bit more!

Our Head of Policy and Public Affairs, Sarah Whitebread, responds to the new Better Connected Transport Plan, the government's vision for domestic transport in England, which was published today... 🔗 https://www.cyclinguk.org/press-release/our-response-governments-better-connected-transport-plan

❤️Listings include @gosforthcivictheatre.co.uk & Barca Art Bar on Gosforth High Street! ❤️

Tagging @chionwurah.bsky.social @cmckinnellmp.bsky.social & @helenannhartley.bsky.social as Newcastle politicians re the disappointing plans for Manors Railway Station. Manors has such potential - Newcastle needs a share in the Northumberland Line benefits too.

I'm afraid so. Seems there's a lot of money for lovely 50-60 page "studies" that sit in a drawer, and even minor interventions seem to cost a huge amount of money. I've had to significantly change my view on what the current Council can deliver. But I still think the y is the optimum solution.

Not sure they are in the public domain, but I have seen the output of the £70k spent on the Masterplanning. I think this was the decision point; northeast-ca.moderngov.co.uk/documents/s2... And the extract from the plan is the only bit that is going to be delivered any time soon*. Cont.

* Apart from the pedestrian improvements dashed green. You'll still have to walk in the road, dodging all the cars parked for free in the City Centre.

I'd always ask for Heaton Station to be reopened. Am beyond disappointed by the current plans for Manors. I think residents will be, quite rightly, unimpressed by the current proposals and view them as poor value for money. Agreed it is a difficult site, but it's deck chairs on the titanic time.

Obviously Elswick, Scotswood, Lemington and Newburn would be transformational if the line to the west of Central Station could be reopened. On existing lines, we'd agree with Heaton and perhaps Forest Hall or Killingworth on the ECML northwards.

Only 2? Are there any closed Newcastle stations that it would make sense to reopen? Manors Railway Station also needs improving - as well as all services to stop there. @junasathian.bsky.social @mikecookson.bsky.social @northeastptug.bsky.social

🗓️On 7th May local elections will be taking place in Newcastle. 📋We have put together three key points that we would like to see parties back in order to improve cycling in the city. 🗣️Ask the candidates you speak to what they will be doing to improve cycling in the city after May.

We have reported the fact the traffic lights at the end of the recently finished Pilgrim Street cycle lane at the junction with Market Street don't appear to ever turn green. If you come across traffic signals that aren't working you can report them here: envirocall.newcastle.gov.uk/Request/Form...

Retweeting as this means that #Gosforth now has a rail link to #Bedlington via the #NorthumberlandPark Metro / NorthumberlandLine Interchange!

The big problem with this is that it relies on lots of people buying an expensive new car. Electrification is a great idea - but for rail not road. Newcastle would be in a much better place re the current fuel crisis with a fully electrified & frequent local rail service & trams to the West End.

The elephant in the room with Moor Farm is that induced demand suggests that widening an already enormous roundabout will not relieve congestion. @emmafoodymp.bsky.social

This is such a cute way to reopen a much needed station.❤️🐶🚝❤️