Consultation now open
https://www.northeast-ca.gov.uk/localtransportplan

The government recognises that every place is unique and has different transport needs. That is why an area’s statutory local transport plan has an important part to play in ensuring good transport outcomes for the area. A Transport Plan for the North East is being refreshed as agreed in the 2022 devolution deal. This Transport Plan and its supporting documents will set out plans to both maintain the existing network and deliver improvements, with clear outputs and outcomes. The Transport Plan and assurance framework for a single transport funding settlement will underpin the government’s relationship with NEMCA on transport policy and will enable the Department for Transport (DfT) and local communities to hold NEMCA to account for how it is delivering its local and regional transport priorities. The commitments set out below are intended to support NEMCA to deliver on the priorities set out in its local transport plan.

• Paper to Cabinet - 17 Sep 2024
  
• Draft Local Transport plan
  

(17 Sep 2024, 6:42 pm)MurdnunoC wrote For me, the first thing the plan should address is need to bring all National Rail stations in the LA7 under the remit and control of NECA/TNE (or whatever they're called this week). This would allow complete multi-modal travel across the region from Haltwhistle to Horden; from Berwick to Durham; and everywhere in between. This happens in other Local Authority areas and counties across the UK so, for me, this is a more realistic proposition of progress using allocated funds rather than fantastical projects such as the Leamside Line; the Wearside Loop; the refurbishment of 16 year-old bus stations; or anything else where the cost is likely to run into the tens (or hundreds) of millions. It's an achievable prospect and is likely to encourage public transport usage if someone, for example, Alnwick, can nip on the bus down to Alnmouth and catch the train to Newcastle without sitting nigh on two-hours on a bus which traverses everywhere on the way. It's a small step, but one that could lead to bigger things such as the projects I've listed as you can then prove the passenger numbers are there if you speculate to accumulate.

(17 Sep 2024, 6:42 pm)MurdnunoC wrote For me, the first thing the plan should address is need to bring all National Rail stations in the LA7 under the remit and control of NECA/TNE (or whatever they're called this week). This would allow complete multi-modal travel across the region from Haltwhistle to Horden; from Berwick to Durham; and everywhere in between. This happens in other Local Authority areas and counties across the UK so, for me, this is a more realistic proposition of progress using allocated funds rather than fantastical projects such as the Leamside Line; the Wearside Loop; the refurbishment of 16 year-old bus stations; or anything else where the cost is likely to run into the tens (or hundreds) of millions. It's an achievable prospect and is likely to encourage public transport usage if someone, for example, Alnwick, can nip on the bus down to Alnmouth and catch the train to Newcastle without sitting nigh on two-hours on a bus which traverses everywhere on the way. It's a small step, but one that could lead to bigger things such as the projects I've listed as you can then prove the passenger numbers are there if you speculate to accumulate.

(17 Sep 2024, 9:35 pm)solsburian wrote It might have more to do with the large amount of underutilised retail space, especially now as Poundland has vacated the Wilko store (not surprising to anyone IMHO). Any re-development of the bus station should be tied to a potential wider redevelopment of the Interchange Centre rather than be specific project for the LTP.

(17 Sep 2024, 8:47 pm)BusLoverMum wrote The bus station at Gateshead Interchange hasn't even been around that long in its current form.

(17 Sep 2024, 10:35 pm)Storx wrote Let's be honest, quite a fair chunk of it has nothing to do with transport. Basic maintenance like fixing pot holes, replacing traffic lights and bridge maintence should be no-where near it as I assume this money will be funded by debt not by tax receipts.

That bit there in particular is a joke.

£5m on traffic lights, £5m on accessing a private yard, £1m on god knows what on Coatsworth Road, £20m on 'maintenance' in Newcastle, £7.35m to enable private developments in the West End, £12m for private developments near Gosforth Park, £90m pissing about with Gateshead again, £31.75m on god knows what for 'improvements' for walking in Gateshead - resurfacing?.

It's a bit of a farce and there's much much more like it. £170m there and absolutely nothing to show for it.

(18 Sep 2024, 4:55 pm)BusLoverMum wrote The loss of the footbridge on leazes road in Durham because they can't economically replace it illustrates how essential some of this work is.

(18 Sep 2024, 4:04 pm)Adrian wrote The North East has been granted about £1.5bn in City Regional Sustainable Transport (CRSTS) funding, which was a product of the last Government, and covers what you describe as basic maintenance. See: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/city-region-sustainable-transport-settlements-developing-proposals/city-region-sustainable-transport-settlements-guidance-for-mayoral-combined-authorities

I'm not sure why you think it has nothing to do with transport? All of the examples in your screenshot, whilst maybe not a priority to you, are still examples of transport projects.

(19 Sep 2024, 3:58 pm)Storx wrote I don't want to go into it to much as this isn't a politics forum but it's all about how this stuff is announced. 

(17 Sep 2024, 5:24 pm)Storx wrote Well least we know public transport is f**ked in the North East until 2040 unless Labour are given the boot out the mayoral position.

(19 Sep 2024, 3:58 pm)Storx wrote To me announcing £8bn in transport improvements should be that not doing the maintenance of assets. 

These should be coming from the council budgets. It's not funds when it's the money you took off the council budget a year earlier and is just giving credit to Westminster for giving the money back you should've had anyway.

(19 Sep 2024, 6:55 pm)Adrian wrote Ah, but you've opened up by making a political point!

(19 Sep 2024, 6:55 pm)Adrian wrote It's no secret that I'm not a fan of the current Mayor or the leader of Gateshead Council, but let's not pretend that the Tories or Lib Dems have done anything for the region either. Both were the architects of austerity, then the 9 years of Tory Government that followed has really delivered bugger all, other than the Northumberland Line.

(19 Sep 2024, 6:55 pm)Adrian wrote I tend to agree, in an ideal world, but we don't live in one.

Councils simply haven't got the budgets. Sunderland, for example, are operating on a budget with a real-terms reduction of around 30% since 2009, and it's a similar story at other councils. Council tax only covers about 13% of their income. Close to 2/3 of income is from UK Government.

We've also just entered a devolution deal, with an elected Mayor that has control over transport for the region. What would be the point of still issuing grants to individual councils, as oppose to having one joined-up plan to deliver improvements regionwide?

As I say, in an ideal world, Councils would have the budget to carry out these works routinely. They don't, so the option is either try and bid for the funding in the mechanisms available (e.g. through consultation and by delivering an LTP), or ignore the problems completely.

(19 Sep 2024, 3:58 pm)Storx wrote I don't want to go into it to much as this isn't a politics forum but it's all about how this stuff is announced. 

To me announcing £8bn in transport improvements should be that not doing the maintenance of assets. 

These should be coming from the council budgets. It's not funds when it's the money you took off the council budget a year earlier and is just giving credit to Westminster for giving the money back you should've had anyway.

(20 Sep 2024, 11:54 am)BusLoverMum wrote Councils have nothing left down the backs of their sofas, though. It's money that Westminster haven't been giving them and they've not been allowed to raise by other means, while the costs of their various statutory responsibilities escalate.

(20 Sep 2024, 4:49 pm)Adrian wrote Other means of income is a good point. People often (incorrectly) assume that Council expenditure is predominantly from Council tax receipts. Business rates don't even come close to plugging that gap, as the 'Councils retain half' element doesn't exactly work like that, with the 50% for Councils then being divided up equally between all Local Authorities. 

On top of that, Councillors of course have a legal requirement to set a balanced budget. So those outside of the Government of the day, are essentially enforced by statute to deliver UK Government austerity. Councils do some awful wasteful stuff, as do most organisations, but they don't half take a lot of flack for making the most out of an awful financial situation.

Hopefully people will take part in this LTP consultation with some good and positive feedback.

(07 Nov 2024, 5:42 pm)Malarkey wrote One of the things I would look at doing during the demolition of Gateshead Interchange, which I do agree with as it is far to big for what it is required for is to open a 2nd Bus Gate from Bensham Road across onto Walker Terrace leading onto Jackson Street to High Street, Buses coming from Old Durham/Durham Road would go via High Street direct into Newcastle which additional shelters installed and in turn still bring close connectivity to the Metro/Retail Areas, it would also quicken existing journey times on various routes that go into Newcastle.

There are a few units available on Trinity Square where the likes of the Interchange Newsagents, Dicksons and Carters Butchers could move into, the Greggs in the Interchange can close as you have the bigger unit on Trinity Square, Iceland & Heron Foods would be offered New Units as part of the Interchange Redevelopment Plan.

To be honest I am surprised the local authority have not decided to do the same with Park Lane Interchange in Sunderland, as again it far to big for what it is used for.

If we are going to look at going down the Rapid Transit Route I think only way that would work would be if you closed existing City Centre Multi Storey Car Parks and had those spaces located at sites such as Great Park which are out of the city, it would also strengthen demand of existing services along those corridors and perhaps encourage the switch from car to bus.

(07 Nov 2024, 6:34 pm)Storx wrote Shutting car parks and forcing people to use public transport is not the way to sort out the problems. It's the easiest way to completely kill Newcastle City Centre though.

Park Lane and Gateshead aren't too big either, they're the right size. Haymarket and Eldon Square are too small hence the congestion, overcrowding of stands etc. The rebuild is a complete waste of money but that's nothing new up here where we like wasting money on pointless things rather than fixing the real problems.

(07 Nov 2024, 6:34 pm)Storx wrote Shutting car parks and forcing people to use public transport is not the way to sort out the problems. It's the easiest way to completely kill Newcastle City Centre though.

Park Lane and Gateshead aren't too big either, they're the right size. Haymarket and Eldon Square are too small hence the congestion, overcrowding of stands etc. The rebuild is a complete waste of money but that's nothing new up here where we like wasting money on pointless things rather than fixing the real problems.

(17 Nov 2024, 9:16 am)DaveFromUpNorth wrote An easier solution would be to get a motion passed at council so it becomes policy that every NEXUS secured contract  or bus service even if it is one run  must serve as many metro stations  or bus stations as possible.  Too many companies including GCT often avoid  bus stations so they don't have to pay the 70p to enter the bus station

(07 Nov 2024, 6:34 pm)Storx wrote Shutting car parks and forcing people to use public transport is not the way to sort out the problems. It's the easiest way to completely kill Newcastle City Centre though.

Park Lane and Gateshead aren't too big either, they're the right size. Haymarket and Eldon Square are too small hence the congestion, overcrowding of stands etc. The rebuild is a complete waste of money but that's nothing new up here where we like wasting money on pointless things rather than fixing the real problems.

(17 Nov 2024, 9:08 pm)Malarkey wrote I disagree as shutting say Eldon Garden/Square Multi-Story Car Parks would alleviate the biggest issue in that area of Newcastle City Centre which is congestion, this would allow for this area to be significantly redeveloped with a proper "City Bus & Coach Station" which is desperately needed to integrate into other modes of transport within the city.

There has been a lot of discussion in previous plans for Park & Ride / Rapid Transit style services to be in place which wouldn't be successful unless some city parking is moved out of the city, other local bus services in there current guise would also potentially see growth in my opinion as a result, you just have look at the likes of York and Leeds for example who operate a number of well used services.