A city centre road has reopened to traffic after attractions and stalls were dismantled and taken away from Newcastle's Christmas Market.
Blackett Street had been closed to private vehicles and buses since November 16 to make room for the Christmas Market's shopping stalls and attractions, which included a carousel and a 30m toboggan run.
The attractions were taken away on Thursday December 27 so the road and its bus stops could reopen on Friday December 28. Some of Newcastle Christmas Market's food stalls are still open around Monument and Northumberland Street and will trade through until New Year's Eve.
Passengers are able to board and get off buses in Blackett Street, while other vehicles, like cars, motorbikes and bicycles, are allowed on the road again.
But there are proposals to permanently pedestrianise Blackett Street, although some traders and businesses object. The road has been closed on weekends for the past two summers, as well as this year's Christmas Market.
The council has a long term goal to close the road to traffic, as part of the authority's "ambition to create a more pleasant, safer and cleaner city centre". No final decisions have been made and the council says the idea will be subject to further consultation.
But the Newcastle Independents group is against the idea, claiming the Christmas Market closure led to "substantial" disruption to bus services and caused traffic jams in the city. The council has said it is "simply not true" to claim there have been major problems caused by the closure.
Some roads in the city centre will be temporarily closed for Newcastle's New Year's Eve events. They are set to reopen at 9pm on New Year's Eve or 1am on New Year's Day.
Newcastle New Year's Eve road closures (4pm to 9pm or 1am)
Section of roads affected:
• Northumberland Road, between Northumberland Street and John Dobson Street.
• Barras Bridge, entire length.
• St Marys Place, entire length.
• Percy Street, between St Thomas Street and Barras Bridge.
• John Dobson Street, St Marys Place and North Street East
• Vine Lane, between Northumberland Street and John Dobson Street.
• Ridley Place, between Northumberland Street and John Dobson Street.
• Northumberland Street, entire length.
• Sandyford Road, between St Marys Place and Civic Centre roundabout.
• Hancock Street, between Sandyford Road and Barras Bridge.
• College Street, Between Northumberland Road and St Marys Place.
• Kings Walk, from Barras Bridge north westerly for 60 metres.
• Quayside, between Sandgate and Sandhill.
The Quayside roads will reopen at 1am on New Year's Day. The other roads are scheduled to reopen at 8pm on New Year's Eve.
