£20m Investment In Newcastle Roundabouts

Like them or love them the typical roundabout is there to speed up traffic and improve safety on our roads. Newcastle council have recently announced it is spending a cool £20 million on upgrading some of its worst roundabouts that are no longer delivering efficient traffic flow. The main roundabouts in question are the Haddricks Mill in South Gosforth and the Blue House, named after the house nearby and on what was the old A1. These are both to be upgraded to handle increased traffic, improve safety and reduce Co2 emissions. Local drivers are well aware of how congested these roundabouts can be and when accidents occur, huge delays and inconvenience can occur. Not forgetting the insurance costs and salvage and scrap car considerations from these Newcastle blackspots. Being identified as some of the most dangerous areas in the area.

Where Roundabouts In Newcastle Are Being Removed

Over time, driving habits and traffic patterns change and where a roundabout stops aiding drivers and starts to inhibit. Two such areas are “Four Lane Ends “(near the Metro) and Cowgate. Both these roundabouts have been removed by local Councils in favour of a more modern traffic light system that can manage the increase and decrease of traffic patterns, to make traffic flow more efficient and safer.


Cowgate roundabout being filled in

Future Of Traffic Control And Emissions

One of the issue most councils across the UK face, is whether to reactive or proactive. Do we wait until there is a traffic problem first or try to deal with future issues. The problem of course is money allocation, how can you spend public money on a problem that hasn’t occurred yet. And of course they could get it wrong. So typically councils tend to react to traffic issues, which could take years to improve. There is also a lot of pressure to reduce Co2 emissions and all cars (especially older models) that stand waiting to cross a junction are pumping out huge amounts of dangerous C02 gases.

Newcastle is not unique in these challenges, let’s hope these roundabout improvements achive their goals.

This is part of a bigger overall improvement of Newcastle Upon Tyne roads, and of course delays may come as part of the long time improvement.

You can read the full story at the Evening Chronicle.

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