A major plan outlining how to improve Newcastle’s transport network over the next 20 years has been delayed.
Council chiefs have been preparing for months to reveal their long-promised ‘movement strategy’, a vision that will shape changes to the city’s travel infrastructure between now and 2045.
The plans were originally meant to be published in the spring of this year, before being pushed back to this month.
But it has now emerged that the strategy will not be made public until September at the earliest, having been pulled from the agenda of a cabinet meeting due to be held on 14 July.
Opposition cllrs branded the delay “deeply frustrating”, while the authority’s Labour leadership said it wanted to “carry out further engagement with cllrs across the chamber to seek their support” before finalising the strategy.
The move comes amid a period of uncertainty at the civic centre that last month saw the transport department moved out of the portfolio of senior director Michelle Percy, who has since taken a period of leave.
That came as it emerged that an investigation into potential fraud among staff within a section of the transport division had been referred to the police.
Meanwhile, Labour has lost its majority on the council and is now running a minority administration.
The ruling party recently suffered an embarrassing defeat on another key issue, when cllrs voted down its three-year plan that would set the direction for the city council until 2028.
A public consultation on the movement strategy was carried out last autumn and the council said last month that more than 1,300 responses had highlighted improvements to public transport, better road safety and increased accessibility for disabled people as top priorities.
Explaining the latest delay, deputy council leader Alex Hay said: “We are looking forward to introducing the city’s first Movement Strategy, which will set out how our transport networks will be developed over the next 20 years. This is a hugely important plan, focused on how we can meet the needs and priorities of our residents and businesses as well as how we can address some of the key economic and environmental challenges facing the city.
“We have already completed a public consultation to determine the main priorities and principles for the strategy and this resulted in very positive feedback which we have taken on board. Before we seek cabinet approval for the strategy framework we are taking the opportunity to carry out further engagement with councillors across the chamber to seek their support and ensure this plan can effectively deliver for our city.”
Liberal Democrat Mike Cookson told the Local Democracy Reporting Service: “We’re disappointed that the publication of the Movement Strategy has been delayed again. Initially touted to be published in the spring, because of the summer break, it now won’t be seen until September at the earliest.
“This is deeply frustrating, coming only three years since Labour’s last Cabinet report, titled Reframing Transport was published in October 2022.
“We warned at the time this was kicking the can down the line, and it further delays any implementation plan.
“Labour are now in Government, hold the mayor, and are running the council, but still can’t get on and deliver what the residents of Newcastle need – an integrated, sustainable travel network that gives people choices, and works for residents.”
