Tree-lined boulevards are not something I normally associate with Newcastle City Centre, and the track record of the council in respect of greenery in the city has not been good. OK they probably tick all the boxes on urban green spaces, in no small part due to the Town Moor - a park which according to Wikipedia is larger than Hyde Park and Hampstead Heath combined (and larger than New York's Central Park), but greenery in the city centre is generally pretty sparse. The last attempt of something coming anywhere close to resembling a tree-line boulevard was the planting of trees outside the central libary when it opened in 2009. These were soon vandalised and destroyed, probably after a NUFC derby defeat, but were never replaced (nor are there plans to - the trees are absent on the above video).
This could be about to change! John Dobson Street is to become a Tree Lined Boulevard. Newcastle City Council has announced what they call as the “biggest investment in its roads for a generation”, with ambitious plans to turn John Dobson Street into an attractive tree-lined boulevard. The plans include widened pavements, a dedicated two-way cycle track with limited vehicle access.
The soon-to-open Sustrans cycle hub and cafe on the Blue Carpet will complement the flagship cycling route. They have already installed new bike racks outside the proposed 'hub'.
I think the plans look good. Widened footpaths, improved crossings, raised junctions, cycle routes, reducing unnecessary traffic, are all good measures to improve the experience for pedestrians and cyclists alike. But, unless something is done about the number of buses speeding through the city centre, these measures may not have the desired impact.
