Order to make road scheme permanent

Last week, Northumberland County Council announced its intention to make the scheme permanent, as part of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984.

The temporary system is currently in place until June 15, and runs from the bottom of Queen Street, along Coquet Street and Leazes Street, ending at Newburgh Street.

It was introduced in December 2014 to see if it would ease traffic congestion along the harbour area.

Now, a traffic order has been issued to turn the scheme into a permanent fixture in the town. The effect of the order, if made, will restrict traffic on the following parts of the U3138: Easterly direction only: Queen Street, from its junction with Bridge Street/Turner Street; Coquet Street and Leazes Street. South-easterly direction only: Lawson Street. South-westerly direction only: George Street. The National Cycle Route will be unaffected.

Amble Town Council and other groups have been working with the authority on the system. A county-council senior engineer informed members at last month’s town-council meeting that he intended to remove any redundant signs and replace any direction and tourist signs that run against the one-way system and is looking at the narrowing of the Leazes Street/Newburgh Street junction so as to both make it easier for pedestrians crossing the road and also to help to emphasise that vehicles cannot now turn into Leazes Street.

A copy of the draft order, together with a map showing the lengths of road involved, can be viewed at Alnwick Information Centre, on Greenwell Lane, or by contacting the programme and production team, local services directorate, County Hall, Morpeth, Northumberland, NE61 2EF during normal office hours.

If anyone wishes to object to the proposals, they should send their grounds of objection in writing to Maureen Willcock at County Hall to the address above or by emailing [email protected] before Friday, May 20.