Newcastle transport chiefs will decide this month whether to go ahead with a controversial redesign of Heaton Road.
Plans for an overhaul of a section of the busy route have been in the works since 2017 in a bid to make it safer for pedestrians and cyclists, but opponents have labelled the idea "an accident waiting to happen".
Newcastle City Council is proposing to extend Heaton Road's cycle lane all the way up to the Coast Road.
The changes would involve reconfiguring the road layout between Meldon Terrace and the Corner House junction so that parking is banned on one side of the street and, on the other side, the cycle lane is moved in between the pavement and the row of parked cars – segregating it from any moving traffic.
Critics have complained that the scheme, developed under the council’s Streets for People project, will cause new hazards – such as making it more dangerous for cars reversing on and off driveways.
After a long wait wondering whether the project will go ahead or not, residents are now set to find out within a few weeks.
A council spokesperson confirmed that a final decision is due in February and that, if approved, work could start “in the coming months”.
They said: “Safety for all users - including people on foot, cycling or driving - is a key feature of the scheme. The changes we are proposing to make should actually make the street safer for everyone, with protected space for people on bikes and a lower speed limit.
“We do not accept the perception that a protected cycle lane will compromise safety for people leaving their driveways. We have not seen any evidence of this through similar schemes in the city, and this is supported by an independent Road Safety Audit of our proposals.
“This scheme has undergone many rounds of public consultation and engagement which has played a role in helping to shape the final design. This scheme is part of a bigger plan to create cleaner, greener and safer neighbourhoods.
“We have recently completed the final consultation on the scheme, and officers are currently reviewing any objections, with a final decision due on whether to process the legal orders later this month. If successful, the scheme alongside other measures could be implemented in the coming months. A full announcement will be made soon.”
A petition handed to the council in 2019 complained that the proposals are “badly planned and certainly not communicated well” – since then the group of locals opposing the scheme have been denied the meetings with council transport chiefs they have requested.
Local resident Gillian Stables said: “It seems like our safety concerns don’t matter, the council doesn’t seem bothered about it.
“It is an accident waiting to happen. We are not against cycling, we are pro-cycling and we cycle ourselves – so do a lot of the residents around here.
“We just have objections around the safety of it that need to be heard. If you knock on the doors around here, everyone has concerns about it.”
Her husband, Kevin, added that a new 20mph speed limit on Heaton Road means it is already safer for cyclists and also raised concerns over whether snow and leaves will be cleared for a cycleway that is separated from the road.
Mr Stables also warned that elderly or disabled people could struggle getting into their cars if they have to cross a cycle lane to do so and said there will be less space available for ambulances or delivery vehicles to park.
