Paul ツ

The city prepares for Christmas.

(The Gate has their decs up & turned on already. Mid Oct!)

Almost 17000 government staff who are relocating to Newcastle City Centre have been asked for their views on their travel plans.
DWP in Longbenton & HMRC at Longbenton & Washington will relocate to Pilgrim Place & Pilgrim’s Quarter by 2027. 
🚶🏻🚴🏾‍♀️🚇🚊🚍🚖🚘
www.nexus.org.uk/news/item/ne...

Nice to meet you in person yesterday, @longbranchmike.bsky.social and thanks for the @lonrec.bsky.social sticker!

The glazing is going in at the North East Space Skills & Technology Centre at Northumbria University, Ellison Place.

The pavements surrounding Pilgrim’s Quarter should be finished and open from around mid December I’m informed.

I do like how the proposed redevelopment of Percy House will create a new wide pedestrian thoroughfare between Strawberry Lane & Percy Street. Especially handy during events & match days.

www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/north-e...

Cotton candy clouds.

What caught my eye in the vision docs was the suggestion of a NEW BRIDGE, seemingly at the old Redheugh Bridge abutments, spanning from Forth Yards to Clasper Village where new housing is also planned.
This would encourage more walking & cycling, as the current Redheugh does not.

Lack of tram/Metro line aside, it’s extremely positive to read Forth Yards will be a sustainable urban community where pedestrian & cycle movement will be prioritised over private vehicles.
Low levels of car ownership will be encouraged & a bus route will run through the centre.

Well it’s going to be fun trying to get off this.
Single-doored buses are awful on busy routes.

Ah. More painted advert than street art.

YouTube video by Green Signals NEW Tyne and Wear Metro Class 555s - Inside Stadler's £70m depot

Behind the scenes insight at Stadler’s £70m Gosforth Depot in Newcastle, and the new Tyne & Wear Metro trains, by ‘Green Signals’:

youtu.be/wDU7mj7Kc9I?...

A new gable end wall mural in the making, at St Mary’s Place/John Dobson Street, Newcastle.

An Urban Arrow!
1 of 3 cargo bikes we’ve spotted here this morning.

Heaton is cool. Heaton’s where it’s at.

Will Pop PAYG card readers be installed at Dunston and Metrocentre stations ahead of the December timetable change, which sees Northumberland Line services (which accept Pop PAYG) being extended to Metrocentre on Sundays?

If not it’s going to complicate Pop use further.

Thanks Mike!

The pattern of new paving up the centre of Northumberland Street is now taking shape up at the Haymarket end too, along with another planter & seating.

Does that mean a temporary 50mph limit has to be reimposed until it’s secured again?

We only recently found this too and love it.
Currently playing catchup with the 3 series on iPlayer.

“Oh my Godfathers!”

This episode of ‘Station Secrets: The hidden history of Newcastle Central’ gives great insights to the Tyneside Electrics’ suburban platforms, the infamous GPO tunnel which remains beneath the station, signal boxes, deep level Metro construction, & more:
youtu.be/T5_zDi6md6Y?...

..families & businesses to move around free from expensive vehicle ownership/dependancy.
Pedestrian prioritisation & often continuous paving so you can walk for ages without having to stop & wait to cross every block.

Meanwhile back here Middlesbrough celebrate taking a backward step! 🙄

I’ve come back from Copenhagen like I did from Amsterdam in Dec, feeling peeved we don’t have the same enabling infrastructure & mindset here.

Bike lanes are standard on most of their streets for kids to travel safely & independently to school or people to work.
SO MANY cargo bikes, allowing... 1/2

Apparently we’re on the ‘MASTER’ line, calling at Fawdon 2, Kingston Park 2, and Bank Foot 2…
Earlier we called at “West Jesmon”, (no ‘d’).

9 months on & these simple things still haven’t been sorted.
Where’s the attention to detail?
Does anyone care?

Also, it’s too warm! 😓

That MSCP plan north of Pottery Lane is to do with Central Station isn’t it, rather than housing or future Quayside West development.

I really hope the Scotswood alignment is protected!
Sure, stick a linear park/walk/cycle path along it for now. That can be easily rearranged in future when needed.

Great news fundings been approved to prepare Forth Yards for development.

A tram or Metro line along the Scotswood alignment would REALLY attract development, plus the residents & businesses to occupy it.
All of Scotswood Rd & beyond could become attractive, & MetroGreen if bridged to Metrocentre!

This cat’s subway station has better lighting and wayfinding than Monument Metro Station!

bsky.app/profile/bryb...

Any mention of when Pop 2.0 will launch, or when PAYG will be rolled out across the other local rail lines?

Interesting. Due to a signal issue, the Northumberland Line is part-suspended between Benton Junc. & Bedlington.

Trains are running from Ashington to Bedlington (not yet opened), then reversing & using the “Northumberland Coast Loop” to reach Manors & Newcastle via Morpeth.

Some of the original concept designs for the ongoing public realm improvements at “Gateshead Railway Quarter”, (formerly known as the Bridges Quarter).

www.northeast-ca.gov.uk/downloads/35...

Paving works continue at Askew Road (east) in the old garage forecourt to improve the public realm.