(23 Dec 2023, 2:50 pm)ne14ne1 wrote You do realise bus passengers are pedestrians before they board and as soon as they alight and therefore widened pavements and light controlled crossings etc directly benefit their journeys to and from their bus stop. 
If you cannot get to and from your bus stop safely then the bus isn’t an attractive option.
The ‘first & last mile’ of journeys are important too.

Gosforth High Street - final scheme not yet implemented but bus lanes and loading restrictions have recently been introduced in the interim, and over recent years a simplified junction at Salters Rd/Church Rd has benefitted all users. 
Cycling infrastructure along Great North Road has made cycling safer and more attractive (especially for young people travelling to/from the numerous schools in the area).
Signalised junction replacing the sketchy roundabout at Regent Centre/Hollywood Ave has improved safety for all users.

Four Lane Ends - signalised junction replacing accident black spot roundabout has improved safety for all.
Widened pavements between FLE & Quorum have benefitted pedestrians & cyclists.
Additional bus lane recently introduced.
 
South Gosforth - Haddricks Mill plans were scaled back after the usual back lash from motorists but pedestrians have benefitted from some improved signalised crossings.

Haymarket - Widened pavements and widened signalised crossings have relieved pedestrian congestion & pinch points. 
Bus Priority lights on St Marys Place introduced along with a bus gate, widened pavements & cycling infrastructure on nearby John Dobson Street.
 
Central station works - still more phases ahead to move the taxi rank and short stay car park but in recent years pavements have been widened and the portico pedestrianised and glazed for a much improved passenger environment. 
Bus lane enforcement cameras also introduced.

St James' Boulevard - Bath Lane & Westmoreland Rd junctions. Improved pedestrian crossings & slightly tightened corners to improve safety.
 
Heworth - Signalised junction replacing the sketchy roundabout & crumbling bridges beneath, improving safety for bus and general traffic, and improved signalised pedestrian crossings nearby. 

Askew Road & surrounding Bridges Quarter - Bus priority measures, bus lane enforcement, widened pavements, widened & simplified pedestrian crossings, a bus shelter and cycling infrastructure all introduced along with removal of general traffic from some streets, promoting active and sustainable travel options.

The Miller & Carter roundabout will likely be that tight to purposely slow down drivers due to the now residential nature of the area and so that the drivers are less likely to speed up & run a red light, therefore improving safety.

I have to disagree with some of these mind.

Heworth - Traffic problems worse, result there's now more rat running through the centre of Felling to avoid the thing it's that bad. An area which is a high pedestrian area, rather than a crossing which already had a subway.

Gateshead - The scheme is so ill thought, Bensham Road through to Team Valley is pretty much a car park all day, yet again another residential area.

Sandy Lane - The crossing are horrendous, you have to walk 200m to do 10m, result people mad dash across the road, also again, traffic issues have now resulted in Camperdown as a rat run, increasing traffic in places

St James' Boulvard - Severe traffic issues, again more rat running mostly around the Central area to avoid the traffic problems, an area much more busier than that junction.

Central Station - The new portico is horrid, that's an opinion though but it's shared by a lot. There's also an extremely dangerous no left turn some ignore which nearly results in pedestrians run over. They've also removed the old East bound route so buses no longer serve a reasonable bus stop outside the station and passengers have to travel a much further distance from the grim stops outside Shephards or The Mile Castle.

Miller & Carter - Making roundabouts tight to slow people down is damn right dangerous, the X7/X8 struggle to turn around there if there's a vehicle next to them, totally unacceptable on an suburban dual carriageway.

I'm by no means one of those people who think everything should be pro car but I'm also totally aware than cars can go wherever they want so if you start snarling up main roads, then they'll start rat running into places where cars really shouldn't be, past schools etc and that really causes problems. Gosforth High Street is in the state it is partially because of the mess at Cowgate anyway, another extremely poor scheme and it's a horrid place to cross there aswell as the timings are extremely slow so you just mad dash (and I've done it multiple times going from Morrisons to the chippy).

There's absolutely no planning, where the cars are meant to go. I'm all for active travel but you need to designate one main route for cars and keep it flowing. Beyond that get the active travel on the rat runs, whether that's through Wallsend, whether that's through Felling, whether that's through Gosforth, whether that's through Low Fell etc but right now that doesn't happen and it's placemeal here there and everywhere and a result there's traffic all over the place.

Credit to Sunderland as they're the only council which seems to have done that with Wessington Way, Durham Road, Newcastle Road or the new Hendon Bypass being the main roads and all 4 roads have been kept flowing the best they can and generally the city flows well really.