New parking restrictions are set to be trialled on key bus routes in Newcastle city centre in a bid to tackle vehicles stopping in places that can cause congestion and delays.
Red routes will be introduced on Blackett Street and along the bus route covering Newgate Street, Grainger Street, the bottom of Westgate Road and Neville Street past Central Station.
The trial is expected to run for an initial 18 months.
Vehicles will be banned from stopping on the routes, with motorists who breach the restrictions potentially receiving a penalty charge notice. Red lines painted along the side of the road will mark the areas where the restrictions apply.
There will be limited exemptions. Hackney-licensed taxis will be allowed to stop to pick up or drop off passengers, while drivers displaying a Blue Badge will be able to stop to pick up or drop off a disabled person.
Coun Peter Lovatt, Cabinet Member for Neighbourhoods and Local Services at Newcastle City Council, said the measures were intended to improve the reliability of public transport. He said: “Many people use the city’s bus network and it’s not acceptable for these services to be experiencing delays due to inconsiderate parking or vehicles stopping at the side of the road, which causes congestion and prevents traffic from flowing.”
He urged motorists to use designated parking spaces and loading bays instead of stopping at the roadside.
However, the plans have faced opposition from Reform UK.
Cllr Steven Rutherford, leader of the opposition on Newcastle City Council, said he was concerned the restrictions could discourage people from visiting the city centre. “I’m not a big fan,” he said.
“I think anything that is pushing people away from the city centre is a bad thing.”
Coun Rutherford argued that some motorists, including disabled people and those travelling for work, had limited alternatives to using their vehicles. He said the scheme risked becoming another way of “penalising motorists” and claimed the council could face a public backlash if people were fined for what he described as minor offences.
The red routes are expected to be introduced in the coming months, with enforcement beginning once the schemes are operational.
A consultation will run during the first six months of the trial.
Feedback from the consultation, alongside an assessment of how effective the restrictions are, will be used to decide whether changes are needed.
The council will then decide whether the measures should become permanent or be removed.
Newcastle has previously introduced similar restrictions around Newcastle Airport.
Those red routes were introduced in 2024 following complaints about motorists waiting on nearby roads and grass verges while picking up or dropping off passengers.
Drivers caught stopping on the airport red route can face penalties of up to £70.
The restrictions cover the A696 roundabout near the airport, as well as parts of the B6918 and Callerton Lane.
