Agenda item

ORDERED that Executive approves the Newport Road transport corridor improvements scheme, having considered the highlighted risk and proposed mitigation.

 

At this point the Mayor withdrew from the meeting and the Deputy Mayor assumed the role of Chair.

 

The Executive Member for Environment and Sustainability submitted a report for Executive consideration.

 

The purpose of the report sought an Executive decision following public consultation on the proposals to improve bus and walking/cycling provision on Newport Road.

 

Tees Valley Combined Authority (TVCA) gained funding from the Levelling Up Fund (LUF) to support ambitions to improve sustainable transport accessibility.

 

Newport Road was a key transport corridor into Middlesbrough Town Centre and formed part of regional bus routes due to its proximity to Middlesbrough bus station. Congestion on this corridor impacted upon bus reliability and journey times, and the lack of cycle provision acted as a barrier to uptake.

 

The project was part of a wider, regional delivery programme of sustainable transport projects; delivered under the ‘Local Walking and Cycling Implementation Plan’ (LCWIP) that was introduced at a national level by DfT.

 

Public consultation was undertaken by TVCA on the proposals during February 2025, which were detailed in Appendix one of the report. The consultation responses were detailed in Appendix two of the report.

 

Key issues raised from the consultation were as follows:

 

Derwent Street One Way – access to businesses would be difficult due to the alternate route via Lamport Street, which would be prohibitive to larger vehicles. There was an option to make this junction left out/left in which would partially mitigate this issue. Retaining two-way access would result in significant cost increase due to utility diversions identified in the Northern highway verge. This option would fully mitigate this issue.

 

Cannon Park One Way – issues surrounding the number of premises that were served would create congestion and journey time delays within the area. It was proposed that two-way access was retained into Cannon Park, which fully mitigated this issue.

 

VW Lookers access from Newport closed – this would create business access issues. It was proposed that this access was retained, and a pedestrian/cycle crossing provided over the junction. This fully mitigated the issue.

 

Closure of Evans Halshaw access points from Newport Road – this would prohibit business access to the unit. It was proposed that this access was retained, and a pedestrian/cycle crossing provided over the junction. This fully mitigated the issue.

 

Following preliminary investigations, existing landscaping/ vegetation may have been impacted upon by implementing the proposed scheme. An ecological survey for the corridor had been commissioned to understand the implications, and proposed mitigation to minimise the impact.

 

Public transport infrastructure improvements were included within the proposals. This included extension to the existing Westbound bus lane on Newport Road, which was currently camera enforced.

 

In addition, increasing pedestrian and cycle accessibility, safety improvements were part of the rationale for the scheme. Between 2020 and 2025, 15 accidents, all slight, had occurred on the Newport Road corridor.

 

One of the Members for Newport Ward was invited to address Executive. The Ward Member expressed concerns that the scheme was being proposed based on insufficient consultation. They stated the consultation had only received 14 responses, with only four of them expressing support for the scheme. The Ward Member stated consultation was a two-way process and that there had been an insufficient amount of consultation undertaken. As such, the Ward Member was uncomfortable with the amount of money being proposed for the scheme based on the levels of consultation carried out.

 

It was clarified that the Tees Valley Combined Authority had carried out the consultation. It was also clarified that the proposed scheme would have had an adverse impact on local business. However, the Council had worked with those business and amended the scheme accordingly.

 

It was also commented that, while containing a cycle lane, the proposed scheme was not just a cycle lane and was, instead, part of a wider transport initiative to improve traffic flow on Newport Road.

 

The Chief Executive agreed to raise the concerns brought forward by the Ward Member for Newport with the Tees Valley Combined Authority.

 

OPTIONS

 

Do nothing. This was not recommended as it would not allow for the delivery of infrastructure improvements and risked the loss of funding, if unable to be reallocated.

 

ORDERED that Executive approve the Newport Road transport corridor improvements scheme, having considered the highlighted risk and proposed mitigation.

 

REASONS

 

The proposals improved sustainable transport choices, which was assisting the Council’s green strategy. It further supported social mobility, which was a key component for increasing economic activity for the surrounding area, which had typically low car ownership per capita.

 

This would improve access to Middlesbrough Town Centre, ensuring that transport was not a barrier to accessing employment, education, retail and leisure opportunities.

 

The proposals would improve bus journey times by creating infrastructure that allowed vehicles to bypass queuing traffic and provided priority at signals.

 

The proposals supported road safety for all by physically segregating cycles from pedestrians, signalising key junctions and creating additional crossing points.