Widely-criticised bollards that have been branded a “blight” on Gosforth High Street are set to be permanently removed.
Transport chiefs in Newcastle have confirmed plans to finally get rid of the long stretch of bollards that were installed along the length of the busy high street in 2020, cutting the road down from four lanes of traffic to two in order to give more social distancing space to pedestrians and cyclists during the pandemic. Rather than going back to the old layout, Newcastle City Council says it will instead widen pavements to make room for new seats and planting in an effort to make the street a greener and more “people-friendly” area.
It is expected that the changes will be made early in 2023, under an initial trial period lasting up to 18 months while the council gathers feedback from locals and bids for funding to pay for a “long term enhancement to this area”. Announcing its plans on Thursday, the council said that traffic data collected over four years had proven that taking the high street down to only two lanes had produced a “minimal impact” on journey times.
