Newcastle City Council have not included Jesmond in second round of public consultation to improve air quality in Newcastle.

The second consultation began on 14th October, following council meetings. The council decided to focus on Newcastle City Centre, Gateshead and Tyneside, excluding Jesmond from the plans implicated to improve air quality.

During the first round of air quality consultations, Jesmond residents gave negative responses to the idea of paying emission charges on their vehicles, leading to the area not being included in the plans. 

However, some residents are disappointed Jesmond was not included in the latest stage of developments.

Local resident Tony Waterston told JesmondLocal: “The more people who are charged the better, and we have areas of high congestion here particularly around schools.

“I am in favour of stronger policies including banning private cars from entering the city centre and ending free parking after 6pm,” he added.

The first round of consultation gained more than 19,000 public responses between 6th-19th May.

The consultation initially focused on developing either a city centre Low Emission Zone alongside tolls on the Tyne, Swing and Redheugh bridges; or a charging Clean Air Zone covering a large area of Newcastle, stretching into Gateshead and North Tyneside. 

The changes within the city centre may lead to major maintenance on the Tyne Bridge due to changes being made in order to meet the air quality targets, reliant on government funding. 

These adjustments may include a new delivery hub being created on Jesmond Road, in order for delivery vans to unload their goods outside of the clean air zone and keep congestion away from the city centre.

Cllr Arlene Ainsley, cabinet member for transport and air quality at Newcastle City Council, said: “We must bring pollution to within legal limits as quickly as possible and we believe that the package of measures we are currently consulting on, including removing areas including the entrances to Jesmond from the charging zone, would achieve this while ensuring the public recognise we are joined up in our approach to tackling this issue.”

Newcastle City Council are encouraging Jesmond residents to use an alternative method of transport in order to be included in improving the cities air quality, including: public transport, cycling and walking.

There are obligations from the government which legally require Newcastle City Council to have measures in place by 2021 to meet air quality targets in the shortest time possible.

For more information visit http://www.breathe-cleanair.com