A Good News Story?

spen666

Cyclists just love newest bridge
Jan 3 2008 by Ben Guy, The Journal

THE opening of the Gateshead Millennium Bridge has led to an increase of almost 100,000 extra cycle trips a year, new figures show.

Before the bridge opened, about 50,000 cycle trips were made each year over the Tyne Bridge.

That figure has remained broadly the same, but new figures released by Gateshead Council show an extra 94,000 cycle trips are now being made over the new bridge – an increase of 186% in cross-Tyne cycle traffic.

Coun John McElroy, cabinet spokesman for transport at the council and himself a keen cyclist, said: “The Gateshead Millennium Bridge has made a major contribution to the region’s skyline, but I’m absolutely delighted that it seems to be making a major contribution to the region’s health and fitness too.

“Cycling over the Gateshead Millennium Bridge is one of the most memorable things you can do, which is perhaps why more and more people are choosing to do it.

“It’s a rare pleasure which I urge everyone to try.”

The data on the number of cyclists using the bridge was obtained via a network of automatic counters built into cycle routes, together with a number of manual counts.

The counts also showed that a number of other Gateshead cycle routes have seen big bike use increases in recent years.

Examples include the Derwent Walk, which forms part of the C2C cycle route from Whitehaven to Tynemouth, which has seen cycle trips increase more than double in the last three years, from 19,710 in 2004 to 50,735 in 2007.

The Keelman’s Way along the riverside from Hebburn to the River Derwent has also seen a large increase in cycle trips by both commuters and leisure cyclists.

Since 2004, the number of cycle trips has risen from 23,725 to 37,230 in 2007.

And the East Gateshead Cycleway, which links Whitemare Pool with Gateshead town centre, has seen cycle trips rise from 10,950 in 2004 to 12,410 in 2007.

Coun McElroy added: “Despite Tyneside’s ever-increasing growth in traffic – or perhaps because of it – we are seeing a definite increase in the number of people choosing to cycle.

“That could have some important consequences for traffic congestion and pollution.”

Cycling Increases?

Patrick Stevens

No, people leaving the north east.

spen666

Patrick Stevens wrote:

No, people leaving the north east.

That makes it a double good news story then