Traffic congestion in Gateshead
Traffic in and around Gateshead town centre was very heavy this weekend and resulted in some drivers seeing long delays to their journeys.
While there can be localised problems with vehicles leaving the Trinity Square shopping centre car park at busy periods, the congestion seen on Friday 17th and Saturday 18th was significantly worse than usual, and the Council is seeking to identify why this happened and minimise the risk of it happening again.
This weekend has also seen significant congestion and delays in Newcastle, and it seems crowds attending major cultural and sporting events in the area have contributed to that congestion.
Sheena Ramsey, chief executive at Gateshead Council, said:
"We want to apologise for the anxiety and inconvenience caused by the traffic and congestion experienced by local residents and visitors this weekend.
"The traffic problems around Gateshead town centre at the end of last week were on a scale not seen previously and we are investigating the causes as a matter of urgency.
"Gateshead is committed to tackling the climate emergency and resolving problems with air quality and has made significant changes to the town centre road network to help address those issues.
"We will look again at how we manage the town centre network and signage, to try to keep traffic moving and avoid delays as far as possible.
"Any action that is taken will need to sit within the wider context of the Council's responsibilities. We need to shift the balance away from the private car and towards alternative forms of transport."
Traffic in and around Gateshead town centre was very heavy this weekend and resulted in some drivers seeing long delays to their journeys.
While there can be localised problems with vehicles leaving the Trinity Square shopping centre car park at busy periods, the congestion seen on Friday 17th and Saturday 18th was significantly worse than usual, and the Council is seeking to identify why this happened and minimise the risk of it happening again.
This weekend has also seen significant congestion and delays in Newcastle, and it seems crowds attending major cultural and sporting events in the area have contributed to that congestion.
Sheena Ramsey, chief executive at Gateshead Council, said:
"We want to apologise for the anxiety and inconvenience caused by the traffic and congestion experienced by local residents and visitors this weekend.
"The traffic problems around Gateshead town centre at the end of last week were on a scale not seen previously and we are investigating the causes as a matter of urgency.
"Gateshead is committed to tackling the climate emergency and resolving problems with air quality and has made significant changes to the town centre road network to help address those issues.
"We will look again at how we manage the town centre network and signage, to try to keep traffic moving and avoid delays as far as possible.
"Any action that is taken will need to sit within the wider context of the Council's responsibilities. We need to shift the balance away from the private car and towards alternative forms of transport."
