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Local Issues — South Tyneside
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This page encompasses the area covered by South Tyneside Council, within the former county of Tyne & Wear, and the police force area of Northumbria.
 
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2007-07-28
Bus Lane Madness
A new bus lane has been installed on the A1018 Sunderland Road at it's junction with Grosvenor Road. This is despite the fact that traffic congestion used to begin after where the bus lane now ends. Of course, it will now start further back up the road because of the bus lane highlighting the real reason for the bus lane — to inconvenience drivers.
Despite there being a right turn filter lane prior to the lights (lane 3), the council have for some totally incomprehensible reason painted 'right turn only' in lane 2 thru the lights.
A dangerous island has also been added between the bus lane and lane 2 forcing vehicles to serve around it.
Extensive 20mph Speed Limit Zones Planned
 
South Tyneside Council are proposing to implement 'experimental' 20mph speed limit zones in seven areas including Boldon, Hebburn, Hedworth, Harton, Monkton and Jarrow.
The ABD recognises that a 20mph speed limit is appropriate in some locations, such as narrow streets with vehicles parked either side of the road, or as temporary limits outside schools when children are arriving or departing.
However, we believe that such widespread reductions across whole areas indicate a desire to impose lower limits for political reasons rather than to resolve any specific road safety issue.
Although the council claims to have consulted people living in these areas, drivers have not been consulted, indeed one of the objectives seems to be to discourage drivers from passing through these areas. Elsewhere, such practices have be shown to increase traffic and congestion on nearby main roads.
The ABD is also very concerned that the fad for introducing unreasonably low speed limits is creating disrespect for all speed limits.
 
Here are copies of the letters we have received from the council, together with Streetmap links (on the Streetmaps the arrow points roughly to the centre of the affected area) : You will notice that some of these areas (roads in italic) adjoin each other, making the plans far more widespread that might first appear. In our opinion this is deliberate deception by the council to conceal the extent of the plans.
 
Objections to the proposals had to be sent by Monday 14th November 2005 to:
Sia Mahmoodshahi
Transport Services
South Tyneside Council
Westoe Road
South Shields
NE33 2RL

 
 
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