Councillors in Jesmond have called for divisive bollards to be replaced by high-tech cameras, after complaints over traffic chaos.
A polarising Low Traffic Neighbourhood (LTN) came into force in Jesmond last month, with road closures imposed on residential streets by Newcastle City Council to stop drivers using them as rat runs between Osborne Road and the Cradlewell. The scheme has proved highly contentious, with some locals staging a protest in opposition to it last week amid claims that it has caused a congestion nightmare and effectively cut Jesmond in two.
Supporters of the project, meanwhile, have said it has made streets safer and cleaner for pedestrians and cyclists, urging locals to be patient and give motorists time to get used to the measures. Labour councillors have now come out in favour of replacing the bollards that have been in place since early March with an automatic number-plate recognition (ANPR) camera system that would allow only residents to drive through the affected streets.
