Blue House Working Group makes recommendations

Recommendations from the Blue House Working Group have been issued for consideration by Newcastle City Council.

The following news release has been issued by the Blue House Working Group:

The Blue House roundabout, High West Jesmond, Newcastle

The thoughtful and constructive contributions of the Blue House Roundabout Working Group members, has helped the independent chair of the group, John Dales, to come to a recommendation for Newcastle City Council.

That recommendation and the rationale that underpins it is set out below.

Recommendation from Blue House Working Group

Click here to download the recommendation from the Working Group in PDF format.

Position Statement from Blue House Working Group

Click here to download the position statement from the Working Group in PDF format.

Drawing A shows the change recommended

Drawings A and B, below, set out the scope of change recommended at the Blue House junction in the immediate future (A), and how this could be further built upon in the future to increase traffic capacity (B).

These layouts have arisen from an iterative design process involving scrutiny by the Working Group and traffic modelling to understand capacity issues.

Further modelling work is now needed to develop a detailed design and ensure that change at Blue House does as much as possible to improve road safety and enable walking, cycling and bus travel, while providing sufficient capacity for general traffic.

Recommendation Drawing A – Modified Blue House Roundabout and walk / cycle facilities

Click here to download Drawing A in PDF format.

Recommendation Drawing B – how Blue House Roundabout could be further enlarged in the future

Click here to download Drawing B in PDF format.

Jesmond Dene Road changes

In addition, Drawing C sets out the recommended changes for Jesmond Dene Road as far as the junction with Matthew Bank. The layout allows vehicles to make all turns at the Osborne Road junction, and includes a new signalised pedestrian crossing facility across the Osborne Road arm.

To provide a better level of service for people walking, the signalised junction with Moorfield should be modified and a new, signalised walking/cycling crossing should be installed just west of the Friday Fields path. Protected tracks and other measures to enable cycling are also recommended.

Drawing C – Jesmond Dene Road / Moorfield

Click here to download Drawing C in PDF format.

The above news release was issued by the Blue House Working Group and included on the Blue House Working Group website. It has been included here for information and does not necessarily represent the views of High West Jesmond Residents’ Association.

HWJRA Chair comments

Nick Moore from High West Jesmond Residents’ Association said; “My experience of participating in the Blue House Working Group has been a very positive one.

“The final proposal reflects what the group believes is the “best fit’ taking into account the key considerations of safety, capacity, efficiency and visual amenity. It was clearly impossible to provide everything that everybody wanted but by the end of the process the group were all happy with the final recommendation.

“I am very happy that the council took the approach that they did and hope that this can become a model for engagement with local residents and other stakeholders for any future projects of major significance.”

Public meeting planned

 
A public meeting will be organised to discuss the recommendations at some time in February – further details to follow.
 

Background reading

 
You can read the response from Newcastle City Council here – Council welcomes residents input into Blue House junction proposals