Regional ROAD NETWORK, usage of etc - Coast Road, Great North Road, A69, A19, Western Bypass, etc - Page 3

merleb · October 28th, 2010, 12:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by architect1976

.
The A1 is down to 50mph from 1st November and improvements to be made to the Dunston stretch.

http://nds.coi.gov.uk/content/detail...96&SubjectId=7

.

disgraceful

architect1976 · November 9th, 2010, 09:55 AM

50mph limit was introduced overnight and it's just taken me 50 minutes to do a journey that normally takes 20 minutes. I accept that's it's raining and that it's a Tuesday and the traffic is normally heavy but what is now happening is that the traffic is backing up past Birtley so people are using the slip road at the angel to try and gain an extra few minutes, which is creating a nightmare. It took me nearly 20 minutes just to get up the slip road (I join from Wrekenton) onto the A1.

And then when you get onto the A1 it used to pick up a bit but now you've got people seeing the 50mph signs and slowing to 40/45mph and sitting in the outside lane with nothing in front of them thus preventing the traffic behind from clearing.

I hope it improves because this morning was impossible.

maxtoon · November 9th, 2010, 09:43 PM

Yup, it is terrible at the moment .. can't see it improving till the works are completed, but even then expect a huge bottleneck when the carriageway returns to 2 lanes at the Blaydon viaduct

merleb · November 10th, 2010, 06:38 PM

Having looked at the overheads at Dunston - I think it is impossible anyway to squeeze in an extra lane.

JetStreak · November 12th, 2010, 04:39 PM

The whole thing needs to be rebuilt as a 6 lane motorway. But the chances of that happening within the next 20 years would seem to be nil.

I would also reconfigure the A1, A194 and A1231 junction to be a a fully grade seperate interchange and take out the need to travel through those roundabouts and have seperate surface roads.

I'd keep Northbound A1 traffic for the A1231 using the A195 and A182 and the same for A1231 traffic for the Southbound A1 with improvements at A195/A182 junction.

I'd also add a flyover for the A1231 at the A182 junction to handled the increased traffic flow.

***Newcastle Historian*** · December 20th, 2010, 12:23 PM

.
This thread originally started off with a discussion about the development of the Coast Road.

Here is an interesting photo of the New Coast Road, from 1927 . .

Godscrasher · December 20th, 2010, 08:13 PM

Wow great photo and good find. Do you know where it was taken?

***Newcastle Historian*** · December 20th, 2010, 10:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Godscrasher

Wow great photo and good find. Do you know where it was taken?

Afraid not, but it looks like it was taken the same day as the photo in Post 7!

WilfBurnsFan · December 20th, 2010, 11:28 PM

I wonder if that's Chief Constable Crawley on the horse. Apparently he fancied himself on horseback, in between making himself unpleasant to strikers in 1926. A bit of a b*****d all round, and a dirty, traitorous corrupt one as well. He was very, very lucky to escape unprosecuted after the ARP scandal of 1944, in which he was in cahoots with the chairman of the Watch Committee, Cllr Embleton. During the war Crawley was head of the city's ARP/Fire Servces and Embleton his deputy. The leadership of the ARP was a nest of corruption: APR members were detailed to carry out work for the families of the high-ups; Embleton and his cronies stabled their horses at the expense of the civildefence authorities; food (in carefully rationed times) 'went missing' from ARP HQ, and worst of all, fire-fighting equipment was sold by the ARP for a song to a scrap company, run by none other than Embleton. The ARP was also going to bid at auction for a launch to use as a fire boat. Come the auction, no bid from the ARP and the vessel was snapped up cheaply by a welding service company owned by Embleton. Embleton said that it could be used by the ARP/fire service when needed. But during the worst raids on Newcastle it was miles away and never used.

Eventually the story broke and there was an official enquiry. Both men resigned, but that was all. In my opinion... well, I disapprove of the death penalty, but shooting was too good for them. The story is largely forgotten now, but I hope that I can heap some more well deserved shame on their stinking names.

architect1976 · January 6th, 2011, 01:53 PM

Work starts on Monday at Dunston.

Quote:

Scheme to improve traffic flow on A1 at Dunston
04 January 2011 16:14 Highways Agency (North East)

The Highways Agency is beginning work on 10 January to provide three lanes on the A1 northbound carriageway at Dunston Interchange in Gateshead. The lanes will be slightly narrower than the normal carriageway lanes. They will run from the exit slip road at Dunston Interchange beneath the Dunston Road overbridge and through to the point where the entry slip road at Dunston Interchange joins the main carriageway, smoothing traffic flow and improving journey time reliability along this section of the A1.

As a consequence, when the work is completed at the end of March, drivers will benefit from three northbound lanes on the A1 Gateshead and Newcastle Western Bypass from Askew Road through to the Metro Centre. The work includes installing a concrete safety barrier in the central reservation, improving drainage, resurfacing the carriageway, and replacing road lighting and signs. The slip road arrangement at Dunston Interchange will also be altered.

This work is possible following the introduction of a reduced 50mph speed limit on the A1 between Birtley Interchange and Blaydon Viaduct, increasing safety on this section of the Bypass.

The work will take place overnight, on weekdays only, using lane or carriageway closures. In January work will take place between 10pm and 6am, and in February and March between 8pm and 6am. Throughout the works a temporary 40mph speed limit will be in place during daytime hours as narrow lanes will be in place.

During carriageway and slip road closures, clearly signed diversion routes will be in place. When the main carriageway is closed traffic will be diverted via the exit and entry slip roads at Dunston Road Interchange. When Dunston northbound exit slip road is closed traffic will be diverted via Hollinside Road (Metro Centre) junction. And when Dunston southbound entry slip road is closed traffic will be diverted via the local road network to join the A1 at Hollinside Road junction (Metro Centre).

Highways Agency project manager, Nicholas Adshead, said: “Increasing the lanes on the A1 northbound carriageway beneath Dunston Road overbridge from two to three narrow lanes will help traffic travelling along the Gateshead and Newcastle Western Bypass flow more freely. It will smooth traffic flow and improve journey time reliability for drivers. We are carrying out the work overnight, on weekdays only in order to minimise delays. We ask that drivers take extra care when travelling though the roadworks.”

http://nds.coi.gov.uk/content/detail...92&SubjectId=7

***Newcastle Historian*** · January 7th, 2011, 11:29 AM

Worry for county's image as A1 full of potholes
January 7th 2011, by David Black, The Journal

DRIVERS are said to be facing “scandalous and deplorable” conditions on crumbling stretches of the main A1 road through Northumberland in the wake of the severe winter weather.

Major potholes have formed and large patches of the road surface have been ripped up, posing increasing dangers to motorists and the risk of damage to vehicles, it is claimed.

The single-carriageway stretch between Felton and Morpeth has been highlighted as the worst area, with one local councillor saying he is ashamed of the image of Northumberland which it is portraying to visitors.

But the condition of other sections of the road – particularly near Alnwick and Belford – have also been branded appalling following the effects of the recent freezing temperatures.

Northumberland County Council is set to urge the Highways Agency to take action over the state of the A1 in the county, where drivers are said to be dodging potholes on their daily journeys to work. Yesterday county councillor Glen Sanderson, whose Chevington and Longhorsley ward takes in the worst-affected part of the road, said: “It is unbelievable at the moment and I have had a lot of complaints about it. For the main carriageway between Scotland and England to be in this sort of condition is little short of scandalous.

Read More - http://www.journallive.co.uk/north-e...#ixzz1ALOUVuHK

sirfreelancealot · January 8th, 2011, 06:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Newcastle Historian

Worry for county's image as A1 full of potholes
January 7th 2011, by David Black, The Journal

DRIVERS are said to be facing “scandalous and deplorable” conditions on crumbling stretches of the main A1 road through Northumberland in the wake of the severe winter weather.

Major potholes have formed and large patches of the road surface have been ripped up, posing increasing dangers to motorists and the risk of damage to vehicles, it is claimed.

The single-carriageway stretch between Felton and Morpeth has been highlighted as the worst area, with one local councillor saying he is ashamed of the image of Northumberland which it is portraying to visitors.

But the condition of other sections of the road – particularly near Alnwick and Belford – have also been branded appalling following the effects of the recent freezing temperatures.

Northumberland County Council is set to urge the Highways Agency to take action over the state of the A1 in the county, where drivers are said to be dodging potholes on their daily journeys to work. Yesterday county councillor Glen Sanderson, whose Chevington and Longhorsley ward takes in the worst-affected part of the road, said: “It is unbelievable at the moment and I have had a lot of complaints about it. For the main carriageway between Scotland and England to be in this sort of condition is little short of scandalous.

Read More - http://www.journallive.co.uk/north-e...#ixzz1ALOUVuHK

This and the similar problems on many other roads boils down to the use of crap quality Stone Mastic Asphalt, the smooth stuff that has replaced the use of Hot Rolled Asphalt which has a much longer lifespan. For some reason the Highways Authority have outlawed using HRA and use SMA instead, so have a lot of local authorities - the results of this change are now telling!

***Newcastle Historian*** · February 22nd, 2011, 02:25 PM

Continuing

Focus on the problems of potholes in roads
by Ruth Lawson, Evening Chronicle, February 22nd 2011

A NEW report by motoring company Green Flag has highlighted the poor state of our roads as a result of freezing winter conditions. Ruth Lawson has a look at the problem.

PRESSURE is mounting on councils to come up with a long-term solution to potholes blighting North East roads.

This winter’s Arctic weather conditions have worsened the problem of decaying roads, leading to a rise in the number of call-outs to recovery agents.

Now national breakdown provider Green Flag is alerting drivers to be aware of pothole-ridden road conditions described as “hazardous”.

“Recovery agents in the area have seen an increase in the number of call-outs from motorists with broken suspension springs which are normally caused by dodgy road surfaces.”

Malcolm said that in the past councils have invested only in short-term solutions to potholes when something more is needed.

He added: “What they’ve been doing prior to the snow was just doing temporary repairs and they’re not working. They need to do long-term repairs, not just filling the potholes in.”

Read More - http://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/north...#ixzz1Eh4cBvd1

sirfreelancealot · February 23rd, 2011, 02:18 PM

It's not really the oldest roads that are the problem, its roads that have been recently resurfaced with crappy Smooth Mastic Asphalt - the smoother stuff you now see on motorways and main roads, as well as other roads. It doesn't seem to last 5 minutes.

Older surfaces using Hot Rolled Asphalt are lasting a lot longer. I know of stretches that have performed well for at least 20 years.

wj_gibson · February 23rd, 2011, 06:42 PM

Some of the suburban roads around Gosforth and High Heaton in particular (though not, strangely, Heaton itself) are also in an absolutely appalling state at the minute as a result of the cold - I do wonder what budget there is to repair them properly given the current fund slashing.

gregstone · February 23rd, 2011, 07:40 PM

Coast Road potholes were being tackled today.

Any other specific locations in Heaton / High Heaton? Will do what I can to get them sorted.

NB when it comes to general resurfacing, the annual road / pavement budget is about £200,000 a ward, which typically pays for maybe four streets to be done. The backlog is still significant despite the current council administration having significantly increased the budget.

cranfan · February 24th, 2011, 11:07 PM

Quote:

(Scheme to improve traffic flow on A1 at Dunston)

The lanes will be slightly narrower than the normal carriageway lanes.

The new tarmac underneath the Dunston Road overbridge is now in place and there's not much of it. I imagine it looks a lot worse than it is though, and the resulting three lanes will turn out to be no narrower than say the ones on the Tyne bridge. However even at that I'd say that "slightly narrower" was something of an understatement.

merleb · February 25th, 2011, 12:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cranfan

The new tarmac underneath the Dunston Road overbridge is now in place and there's not much of it. I imagine it looks a lot worse than it is though, and the resulting three lanes will turn out to be no narrower than say the ones on the Tyne bridge. However even at that I'd say that "slightly narrower" was something of an understatement.

Agreed.

Unless they compel HGV wagons etc to go in the "slow" lane then it will be a very tight squeeze indeed to get three vehicles side by side, especially if 2 of them are not cars!

btw is is great to see nobody at ALL ever bothers to do the 50mph on either side of the carriageway!

***Newcastle Historian*** · April 1st, 2011, 09:57 AM

North East roads to be repaired with £9.4m funding
by David Black, The Journal, March 31st 2011

WORK to repair North East roads scarred by massive potholes following the severe winter weather has been given a £9.4m boost by the Government.

Transport Secretary Philip Hammond has written to all highways authorities in England to inform them of their share of £200m in additional funding announced by Chancellor George Osborne in the Budget.

Last month the Department for Transport announced that it was making £100m available as an exceptional payment towards road repairs following the severe weather, but that has now been doubled, and the North East’s share of the so-called Pothole Fund is £9.4m.

Northumberland County Council has been allocated £3.1m, Durham County Council £2.3m, Newcastle City Council £492,000 and Sunderland Council £613,000. Gateshead Council has been given £460,000, North Tyneside £433,000, South Tyneside £303,000 and Middlesbrough £247,000.

Cumbria County Council will receive £6.2m, the fifth highest figure in the country after Devon (£9.3m), Norfolk (£6.8m), North Yorkshire (£6.6m) and Kent (£6.5m).

Read More - http://www.journallive.co.uk/north-e...#ixzz1IFw7VTl7

liquidlou · May 8th, 2011, 09:05 PM

They really need to sort out the juction of Askew Road and A167, ideally with a railway track level fly-over that runs from the business centre, over the A167, then sweeps around the back of NEETA building, onto that strange half round-about. I don't know how many hours of my life I wasted sitting in jams between Davy Roll-Tyne Bridge (northbound) and Jesmond-Tyne Bridge (southbound).

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November 9th, 2010, 09:55 AM	#42
architect1976 Registered User Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Jarrow Posts: 639 Likes (Received): 4	50mph limit was introduced overnight and it's just taken me 50 minutes to do a journey that normally takes 20 minutes. I accept that's it's raining and that it's a Tuesday and the traffic is normally heavy but what is now happening is that the traffic is backing up past Birtley so people are using the slip road at the angel to try and gain an extra few minutes, which is creating a nightmare. It took me nearly 20 minutes just to get up the slip road (I join from Wrekenton) onto the A1. And then when you get onto the A1 it used to pick up a bit but now you've got people seeing the 50mph signs and slowing to 40/45mph and sitting in the outside lane with nothing in front of them thus preventing the traffic behind from clearing. I hope it improves because this morning was impossible.

November 9th, 2010, 09:43 PM	#43
maxtoon Southeast Geordie Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: London/Newcastle Upon Tyne Posts: 608 Likes (Received): 0	Yup, it is terrible at the moment .. can't see it improving till the works are completed, but even then expect a huge bottleneck when the carriageway returns to 2 lanes at the Blaydon viaduct

November 10th, 2010, 06:38 PM	#44
merleb Patriot & Traditionalist Join Date: Mar 2010 Posts: 1,165 Likes (Received): 33	Having looked at the overheads at Dunston - I think it is impossible anyway to squeeze in an extra lane.

November 12th, 2010, 04:39 PM	#45
JetStreak Born in Durham Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: London Posts: 271 Likes (Received): 0	The whole thing needs to be rebuilt as a 6 lane motorway. But the chances of that happening within the next 20 years would seem to be nil. I would also reconfigure the A1, A194 and A1231 junction to be a a fully grade seperate interchange and take out the need to travel through those roundabouts and have seperate surface roads. I'd keep Northbound A1 traffic for the A1231 using the A195 and A182 and the same for A1231 traffic for the Southbound A1 with improvements at A195/A182 junction. I'd also add a flyover for the A1231 at the A182 junction to handled the increased traffic flow.

December 20th, 2010, 12:23 PM	#46
*Newcastle Historian* Moderator and Archivist Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Newcastle upon Tyne Posts: 15,048 Likes (Received): 63	. This thread originally started off with a discussion about the development of the Coast Road. Here is an interesting photo of the New Coast Road, from 1927 . .

December 20th, 2010, 08:13 PM	#47
Godscrasher Registered User Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Newcastle Posts: 285 Likes (Received): 2	Wow great photo and good find. Do you know where it was taken?

December 20th, 2010, 11:28 PM	#49
WilfBurnsFan Registered User Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Newcastle upon Tyne Posts: 2,379 Likes (Received): 15	I wonder if that's Chief Constable Crawley on the horse. Apparently he fancied himself on horseback, in between making himself unpleasant to strikers in 1926. A bit of a b*****d all round, and a dirty, traitorous corrupt one as well. He was very, very lucky to escape unprosecuted after the ARP scandal of 1944, in which he was in cahoots with the chairman of the Watch Committee, Cllr Embleton. During the war Crawley was head of the city's ARP/Fire Servces and Embleton his deputy. The leadership of the ARP was a nest of corruption: APR members were detailed to carry out work for the families of the high-ups; Embleton and his cronies stabled their horses at the expense of the civildefence authorities; food (in carefully rationed times) 'went missing' from ARP HQ, and worst of all, fire-fighting equipment was sold by the ARP for a song to a scrap company, run by none other than Embleton. The ARP was also going to bid at auction for a launch to use as a fire boat. Come the auction, no bid from the ARP and the vessel was snapped up cheaply by a welding service company owned by Embleton. Embleton said that it could be used by the ARP/fire service when needed. But during the worst raids on Newcastle it was miles away and never used. Eventually the story broke and there was an official enquiry. Both men resigned, but that was all. In my opinion... well, I disapprove of the death penalty, but shooting was too good for them. The story is largely forgotten now, but I hope that I can heap some more well deserved shame on their stinking names.

January 7th, 2011, 11:29 AM	#51
*Newcastle Historian* Moderator and Archivist Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Newcastle upon Tyne Posts: 15,048 Likes (Received): 63	Worry for county's image as A1 full of potholes January 7th 2011, by David Black, The Journal DRIVERS are said to be facing “scandalous and deplorable” conditions on crumbling stretches of the main A1 road through Northumberland in the wake of the severe winter weather. Major potholes have formed and large patches of the road surface have been ripped up, posing increasing dangers to motorists and the risk of damage to vehicles, it is claimed. The single-carriageway stretch between Felton and Morpeth has been highlighted as the worst area, with one local councillor saying he is ashamed of the image of Northumberland which it is portraying to visitors. But the condition of other sections of the road – particularly near Alnwick and Belford – have also been branded appalling following the effects of the recent freezing temperatures. Northumberland County Council is set to urge the Highways Agency to take action over the state of the A1 in the county, where drivers are said to be dodging potholes on their daily journeys to work. Yesterday county councillor Glen Sanderson, whose Chevington and Longhorsley ward takes in the worst-affected part of the road, said: “It is unbelievable at the moment and I have had a lot of complaints about it. For the main carriageway between Scotland and England to be in this sort of condition is little short of scandalous. Read More - http://www.journallive.co.uk/north-e...#ixzz1ALOUVuHK

February 22nd, 2011, 02:25 PM	#53
*Newcastle Historian* Moderator and Archivist Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Newcastle upon Tyne Posts: 15,048 Likes (Received): 63	Continuing Focus on the problems of potholes in roads by Ruth Lawson, Evening Chronicle, February 22nd 2011 A NEW report by motoring company Green Flag has highlighted the poor state of our roads as a result of freezing winter conditions. Ruth Lawson has a look at the problem. PRESSURE is mounting on councils to come up with a long-term solution to potholes blighting North East roads. This winter’s Arctic weather conditions have worsened the problem of decaying roads, leading to a rise in the number of call-outs to recovery agents. Now national breakdown provider Green Flag is alerting drivers to be aware of pothole-ridden road conditions described as “hazardous”. “Recovery agents in the area have seen an increase in the number of call-outs from motorists with broken suspension springs which are normally caused by dodgy road surfaces.” Malcolm said that in the past councils have invested only in short-term solutions to potholes when something more is needed. He added: “What they’ve been doing prior to the snow was just doing temporary repairs and they’re not working. They need to do long-term repairs, not just filling the potholes in.” Read More - http://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/north...#ixzz1Eh4cBvd1

February 23rd, 2011, 02:18 PM	#54
sirfreelancealot Registered User Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Gateshead Posts: 150 Likes (Received): 4	It's not really the oldest roads that are the problem, its roads that have been recently resurfaced with crappy Smooth Mastic Asphalt - the smoother stuff you now see on motorways and main roads, as well as other roads. It doesn't seem to last 5 minutes. Older surfaces using Hot Rolled Asphalt are lasting a lot longer. I know of stretches that have performed well for at least 20 years.

February 23rd, 2011, 06:42 PM	#55
wj_gibson Registered User Join Date: Dec 2009 Posts: 277 Likes (Received): 6	Some of the suburban roads around Gosforth and High Heaton in particular (though not, strangely, Heaton itself) are also in an absolutely appalling state at the minute as a result of the cold - I do wonder what budget there is to repair them properly given the current fund slashing.

February 23rd, 2011, 07:40 PM	#56
gregstone Registered User Join Date: Aug 2006 Posts: 1,133 Likes (Received): 13	Coast Road potholes were being tackled today. Any other specific locations in Heaton / High Heaton? Will do what I can to get them sorted. NB when it comes to general resurfacing, the annual road / pavement budget is about £200,000 a ward, which typically pays for maybe four streets to be done. The backlog is still significant despite the current council administration having significantly increased the budget.

April 1st, 2011, 09:57 AM	#59
*Newcastle Historian* Moderator and Archivist Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Newcastle upon Tyne Posts: 15,048 Likes (Received): 63	North East roads to be repaired with £9.4m funding by David Black, The Journal, March 31st 2011 WORK to repair North East roads scarred by massive potholes following the severe winter weather has been given a £9.4m boost by the Government. Transport Secretary Philip Hammond has written to all highways authorities in England to inform them of their share of £200m in additional funding announced by Chancellor George Osborne in the Budget. Last month the Department for Transport announced that it was making £100m available as an exceptional payment towards road repairs following the severe weather, but that has now been doubled, and the North East’s share of the so-called Pothole Fund is £9.4m. Northumberland County Council has been allocated £3.1m, Durham County Council £2.3m, Newcastle City Council £492,000 and Sunderland Council £613,000. Gateshead Council has been given £460,000, North Tyneside £433,000, South Tyneside £303,000 and Middlesbrough £247,000. Cumbria County Council will receive £6.2m, the fifth highest figure in the country after Devon (£9.3m), Norfolk (£6.8m), North Yorkshire (£6.6m) and Kent (£6.5m). Read More - http://www.journallive.co.uk/north-e...#ixzz1IFw7VTl7

May 8th, 2011, 09:05 PM	#60
liquidlou Registered User Join Date: Apr 2011 Posts: 19 Likes (Received): 0	They really need to sort out the juction of Askew Road and A167, ideally with a railway track level fly-over that runs from the business centre, over the A167, then sweeps around the back of NEETA building, onto that strange half round-about. I don't know how many hours of my life I wasted sitting in jams between Davy Roll-Tyne Bridge (northbound) and Jesmond-Tyne Bridge (southbound).