(16 Jul 2013, 12:32 pm)Chris wrote Agree about routing buses through Gateshead the 'old' way on their way into Newcastle, instead of everything bar the X34 going through the Interchange.

Slightly more radical: I'd introduce congestion charging for Newcastle City Centre (obviously the revenue raised would be ringfenced to improve public transport). Slightly more radical still (no, I haven't finally lost my marbles...) I'd be tempted to rip up the Metro and have guided buses. Imagine - a bus zipping under the streets of Newcastle avoiding congestion, and then once it hits the suburbs rejoins the normal roads.

And yes, I am sober!

If some of the more ambitious plans for road-building were implemented by Newcastle's city planners in the 1960s and 70s, we would have ended with an underground east-to-west motorway carrying vehicles underneath the streets of the city. So, a bus zipping under the streets of Newcastle, rejoing current roads in the suburbs isn't as harebrained as you might think. Whether it would alleviate congestion on the other hand, above level - maybe; underground - probably not.

For those wanting to read more about Newcastle's unbuilt motorway network, the Pathetic Motorway's website has a page dedicated it: http://www.pathetic.org.uk/features/tyneside/ - It's an interesting read!!