A member of Newcastle Cycling Campaign has welcomed Newcastle City Council’s revised plans for Jesmond Dene Road, saying he would be happy to use the proposed route.

Tony Waterston, who is also a member of Space for Jesmond, a cycling and pedestrian campaign group, said he liked the revised proposals but had not yet had time to examine concerns previously raised about the design.

“I would be happy to use it,” he said in an email interview with JesmondLocal as the consultation opened on October 26th.

The council amended its plans following earlier engagement with residents and businesses. It said it had taken residents’ comments into account “where possible”, according to its official project page.

The revised design includes changes to the two-way cycle track between Friday Fields Lane and Moorfield. Waterston said cyclists would need to cross the road but considered the arrangement acceptable.

He said cyclists and local residents might have different views about the scheme. He believed cyclists’ views should be prioritised in road-design decisions and suggested residents’ views may have had more influence on the plans.

As an example, Waterston pointed to a controversial low-traffic neighbourhood scheme in Jesmond that was removed several years ago.

He said the scheme had been welcomed by pedestrians, cyclists and people concerned about nature, but had faced opposition from some residents and motorists. He acknowledged that his own views were shaped by his support for health, nature and climate protection.

Waterston said face-to-face discussions between the council and cycling groups would be the most helpful way to address concerns.

Newcastle Cycling Campaign welcomed the original proposals in April, describing them as “a welcome addition to the city’s cycle network”. The group also raised questions about cycle-route connections and junction layouts in its response to the original plans. These comments predated the revised design and do not confirm whether those concerns have since been resolved.

The revised drawings are on display at Jesmond Library until November 3rd. The council has also arranged staffed sessions where residents can discuss the plans with officers.

The formal consultation opened on October 26th through Let’s Talk Newcastle. Residents and other road users will be able to submit feedback before the council considers the scheme further.