Berwick Neighbourhood Plan

Berwick Sustainable Transport Plan

Transport November 2016 Working Group

Preface

I was asked to lead a Transport Working Group as part of the development of the Berwick Neighbourhood Plan. Keith Smith, Erica Bamford, Hilary O’Shea and Nick Box joined the Group and I am grateful for their help and support in bringing this report together. Joe Lang and John Webster also joined the Group for a period and I thank them for their contribution. The main objective of the Transport Working Group was to ensure that the transport infrastructure of Berwick was up to standard to support the emerging vision underpinning the Neighbourhood Plan. There was no transport plan for Berwick in existence. However, as part of the Berwick’s Future Project run by the Regional Development Agency, One North East, a report was commissioned from Colin Buchanan and Partners in 2009 and this provided a basis for a transport action plan. Regrettably this excellent report was not adopted by County Council and their interventions since then have been ad hoc and in some cases counterproductive. It was decided that we needed to bring the Buchanan report up to date as the basis for an investment plan for Northumberland County Council and as an input to the Neighbourhood Plan. Fortunately, between 1967 and 1971 I was employed by Cheshire County Council Planning Department as a traffic engineer working on the traffic implications of the Town Plans being prepared for the towns in Cheshire. I therefore had the necessary expertise to pull together this report supported as I was by the other members of the Transport Working Group. Tony Houghton November 2016

Summary

This Plan has been drawn up as an integral part of the Berwick Neighbourhood Plan. It aims to support the Neighbourhood Plan vision for Berwick by proposing policies to secure appropriate and sustainable transport infrastructure. Our vision for Berwick in 15 years’ time is that most residents will be doing their journeys on foot, by bicycle or by bus. Visitors to Berwick will arrive in large numbers by train. Those visitors arriving by car will be directed to out-of-town shopping centres on routes that do not pass through the town centre, or they will make use of a free Park and Walk/Ride facility. The town centre will be thronged with people walking through streets. Berwick will have become a hub for cycle tourism. This vision will be realised by supporting the Neighbourhood Plan vision for Berwick, reducing car journeys made within Berwick and encouraging the use of more sustainable transport modes, increasing the footfall in the town centre whilst reducing the level of traffic, encouraging growth in visitor numbers by making the town more accessible via a range of transport options, and enhancing Berwick’s potential for attracting cycle tourism by developing high-quality traffic-free, well-signed cycle routes. The majority of journeys within Berwick are made by car. This is not sustainable and is seriously impacting on economic growth. The limited road and parking capacity must be managed to give priority to people visiting Berwick who bring revenue to the town’s businesses. Cycling will be encouraged by providing a network of safe, high-quality cycle routes within Berwick. The extension of this network through Berwick will promote cycle tourism. Walking will be encouraged by providing safe walking routes from the periphery of Berwick to the town centre. Accessing the supermarkets, shopping centres and schools along the main road will be made easier by providing crossing places. People will be encouraged to spend time in Berwick town centre by making it a safe and pleasant place to walk around. Buses and taxis have an important role in transporting people around Berwick and coaches are a possible way of bringing visitors to Berwick. The town centre will be transformed from an area dominated by cars to an area where pedestrians take ownership. Car parking will be managed to deter short-distance commuters and frequent low-spend shoppers, while encouraging visitors and higher- spending shoppers. The town centre will be an area that is a delight to wander around. This excellent connectivity provided by the Railway Station will be exploited to make Berwick, with its excellent range of services and cultural events and easy access to Newcastle, and by train, an attractive place to live for the growing number of people who would like to do without a car. Berwick makes an attractive destination for day trips, short breaks and longer holidays for those people from big cities in the UK and abroad who would like to leave their car at home

Contents

1. Introduction 1 2. Vision and Objectives 3 Vision 3 Objectives 3 Policies 4 3. Car Drivers 5 Objectives 5 Issues 5 Analysis 6 Policies 6 4. Cyclists 8 Objectives 8 Issues 8 Action Plan 8 5. Pedestrians 11 Objectives 11 Issues 11 Action Plan 11 6. Buses, Taxis and Coaches 13 Buses 13 Taxis 13 Coaches 13 7. Town Centre 16 Objectives 16 Issues 16 Action Plan 17 8. Railway Station 20 Issues 20 Policies 21 Appendix 1. Extracts from the Buchanan Report 22 Baseline Data Gathering 22 Action Plan 24 Appendix 2. Journey to Work 29

MAPS

Map 1: Existing Transport Infrastructure 2 Map 2: Proposed Cycling Infrastructure 10 Map 3: Town Bus Routes 15 Map 4: Potential Urban Realm Improvements 19

1. Introduction

This plan has been drawn up as an integral and significant part of the Berwick Neighbourhood Plan, which is being prepared by local people in response to the Localism Act of 2011. To quote the government website, a neighbourhood plan gives communities ‘the power to develop a shared vision for their neighbourhood and shape the development and growth of the local area’. Various working groups have been set up to propose policies that, together, will make the town work better for residents, workers and visitors, at the same time growing the local economy and providing employment. The Transport Working Group aims to support the Neighbourhood Plan vision for Berwick by proposing policies to secure appropriate and sustainable transport infrastructure. These will be designed to ensure that the town is both attractive and accessible to residents, workers, commuters and visitors. These policies will bring economic and health benefits to a historic walled town that has enormous potential as a tourist destination, situated as it is near the border between and , easily reached via the A1 and the East Coast Mainline. Map 1 shows the existing transport infrastructure. All main traffic generators including schools are strung out along the main roads and a large proportion of the journeys within Berwick are made by car. The main roads and the car parks in the town centre have insufficient capacity to meet the demands put upon them. Berwick is a compact town. Half the population is within easy walking distance of the town centre and the town centre is less than twenty minutes away by cycle for everyone living in the town. However, heavily trafficked main roads act as a barrier to pedestrians and cyclists. The lack of separation of the cycling infrastructure from the main roads through the town centre creates a disincentive to cycle. The one-way system on the Old Bridge means cyclists from the south of the river have difficulty accessing the town centre. Traffic circulating in the town centre creates a hostile environment for pedestrians and this in turn discourages visitors to the historic walled town. All these problems were addressed in a study carried out by Colin Buchanan and Partners in 2009. The report on the data gathering carried out by this study and the recommended action plan are reproduced in Appendix 1. Regrettably little of the action plan has been implemented and indeed some actions have been taken that are counterproductive (e.g. the removal of parking charges). This Sustainable Transport Plan will build on the work done by Colin Buchanan and Partners to produce an up-to-date action plan that can be presented, consulted upon and agreed by both Berwick Town Council and Northumberland County Council. The Neighbourhood Plan and this Sustainable Transport Plan must conform to the Core Strategy produced by NCC. Unfortunately NCC has not produced a sustainable transport plan, and in particular there is no plan for bringing the (NCN) in Northumberland up to standard and developing it into a resource to bring significant economic benefits to Northumberland in the form of cycle tourism. Berwick is particularly affected by this omission as the cycle route into Berwick from the south along the coast is possibly the worst section of the NCN in the UK. This seriously inhibits Berwick’s ability to promote its key situation in the national and international cycle network. The policies set out in our plan will therefore extend beyond the boundaries of the Town to address these issues.

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2. Vision and Objectives

Vision  In 15 years’ time, at the end of the plan period most Berwick residents will be doing their journeys by sustainable means - walking, cycling or travelling by bus.  Berwick will have become a destination of national or even international importance and visitors will arrive in large numbers by train to be directed into the town centre by a well-signed walking route or on a frequent shuttle bus service.  Those visitors arriving by car will be directed to out-of-town shopping centres on routes that do not pass through the town centre, or they will make use of a free Park and Walk/Ride facility. Limited numbers of cars will be allowed to access the town centre to use chargeable parking spaces.  The town centre will be thronged with people walking through streets where pedestrians have priority over cars. This will lead to a vibrant town centre economy.  Berwick will have become a hub for cycle tourism with cyclists on long tours (e.g. Cycleway) commencing, terminating or overnighting in Berwick, starting tours of the or Northumberland from Berwick and using Berwick as a base for day trips into the surrounding countryside.

Objectives This vision will be realised by: 1. Supporting the Neighbourhood Plan vision for Berwick. Berwick holds a unique position as a historically important walled town situated near the border between England and Scotland, with the potential to attract a significant number of tourists and local trade if its assets are exploited to the full. A growth in visitor numbers will of course benefit the local economy and bring new employment and business opportunities. At the same time, we want to make living, working, and moving around in the town easier, safer, and more sustainable, thus enhancing the environment and reducing noise and pollution from traffic.

2. Reducing car journeys made within Berwick and encouraging the use of more sustainable transport modes such as walking, cycling and public transport in line with the policies set out in the NCC Core Strategy. The capacity of the existing road network and parking provision is insufficient for Berwick’s needs. With improvements to infrastructure, which will themselves provide local jobs, we can encourage more journeys, including those to and from schools and workplaces, to be made by bicycle (including electric cycles and mobility scooters), on foot or on public transport. 3. Increasing the footfall in the town centre whilst reducing the level of traffic. There are far too many cars in the town centre creating a hostile environment for pedestrians. A reduction in traffic will help to create a less polluted, safer and more attractive environment for pedestrians, especially in Marygate, Bridge Street and Hide

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Hill. This will encourage visitors who will spend time (and money) in Berwick, thus boosting trade. 4. Encouraging growth in visitor numbers by making the town more accessible via a range of transport options. Infrastructure will be constructed and publicised to attract visitors cycling to or through Berwick, driving to Berwick from North Northumberland and the Scottish Borders, and travelling by train from further afield. 5. Enhancing Berwick’s potential for attracting cycle tourism by developing high- quality traffic-free, well-signed cycle routes connecting to the National Cycle Network. The aim is to make Berwick a hub of national and international importance in the cycle network to attract cycle tourists in large numbers, creating considerable revenue and jobs for Berwick businesses.

Policies The objectives will be met by a series of policies and action plans described in the sections that follow.  Section 3 describes how the road network and parking can be managed to reduce the level of traffic in Berwick.  Section 4 puts forward proposals for developing a high-quality cycling infrastructure to enable more people to use cycles as a means of travel within Berwick.  Section 5 outlines proposals for making it easier for people to travel on foot around Berwick, especially by providing safe crossing points along the main roads.  Section 6 shows the contribution buses, taxis and coaches can make.  Section 7 proposes a transformation of the town centre into a pedestrian-friendly environment around which visitors can stroll.  Section 8 shows how the railway station can be improved to encourage residents and visitors to use the excellent train service that Berwick enjoys, thereby gaining easy access to the rest of the country without using a car.

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3. Car Drivers

The majority of journeys within Berwick are made by car. This is not sustainable and is seriously impacting on economic growth. This section looks at the issues and outlines some of the solutions.

Objectives  Manage the limited road and parking capacity to give priority to people visiting Berwick who bring revenue to the town’s businesses.  Ensure that the main roads (see Map 1) within the built up area have adequate facilities for pedestrians and cyclists to cross safely and conveniently.  Change the town centre from a car-dominated environment to a pedestrian-friendly environment.

Issues  The main roads through the town are at times carrying traffic well in excess of their capacity. This leads to long queues of stationary or slow-moving traffic. This in turn discourages people outside Berwick using the town as their sub-regional shopping and service centre.  The car parks in the town centre are full each weekday throughout the working day. However the Buchanan Study found in 2009 that there were empty spaces throughout the week even at peak times during the summer. A more recent Benchmarking Study carried out in 2013 also showed significant vacant parking spaces. However NCC’s decision to remove car parking charges in the town centre has led to increased commuting by car which means that the long-stay car parks in the town centre are occupied throughout the working day. This problem is compounded by rail commuters parking their cars for free in the town-centre car parks rather than paying to park at the station. Town-centre residents also take advantage of the free long-term parking. This all means that there is a shortage of parking spaces for motorists wishing to come into the town centre to shop, thus reducing footfall and trade.  Travel to work by car within Berwick is high compared with other modes of travel (see Appendix 2). The lifting of parking charges in the town centre has encouraged more people to travel to work by car.  The National Travel Survey 2014 shows that over 40% of journeys to school are made by car even though the average distance is 3 miles. There is a noticeable peak in Berwick traffic in term-time weekdays between 3.00 p.m. and 4.00 p.m. The main reason for not walking or cycling to school is traffic hazard. Interestingly, in a recent Bike Week initiative in Berwick, Prior Park School recorded 70% of their pupils cycling to school. Prior Park School has a catchment that is not intersected by main roads.  A Sustainable Travel Audit for Berwick carried out by shows an average annual daily flow (AADF) on Castlegate of between 12,400 and 14,800 vehicles per day. This is a considerable flow of traffic considering a population of just 13,265 and highlights the extent of visitors and residents passing through the town centre.

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 The Buchanan Study consulted with town centre traders who wanted to boost trade by having short-term on-street parking to attract passing trade. The study advised that a “stop ‘n shop” policy was counterproductive in that it led to a large number of vehicle manoeuvres which created an environment hostile to pedestrians. This, in turn, discouraged visitors who wished to spend time (and money) in the town centre.  The section on Baseline Data Gathering in the Buchanan Study (Appendix 1) noted that “other than on Castlegate / Golden Square, traffic volumes are relatively low”. However, the introduction of free parking has led to a substantial increase of cars making short stops in Marygate and Hide Hill leading to high traffic volumes along Bridge Street and out over the Old Bridge.  The main roads especially though present a significant obstacle to pedestrians and cyclists even for very short journeys to school or to local supermarkets. This is compounded by a couple of fatal accidents.

Analysis Cars have become the principal mode of transport in Berwick. This has led to a serious degradation of the quality of the environment especially within the walled town centre. This in turn discourages visitors, both tourists and shoppers. Berwick is a compact town. It is well served by a good local bus service. Half the population is within walking distance of the town centre and it is possible to cycle (and this includes travel on electric bikes or mobility scooters) from one end of the town to the other within half an hour. However, the need to negotiate heavy car traffic makes sustainable travel unattractive. Policies are needed to discourage car travel within Berwick, particularly:  Journeys to work into the town centre.  Escorting children to school.  Frequent, low-spend, journeys to shop in the town centre.  Journeys across town through the town centre. Complementing these policies will be the development within Berwick of a safe, convenient and high-standard infrastructure to make active travel by foot or cycle an attractive alternative to the use of a car.

Policies  Provide quality alternatives - cycling, walking and public transport – especially safe routes to school. These policies are developed in sections 4, 5 and 6 of this report.  The provision of a safe infrastructure for cyclists and pedestrians requires a series of light-controlled junctions and crossings. These will slow traffic down and discourage frequent, low-spend, journeys to shop in the town centre. They should also discourage journeys across town through the town centre and encourage these journeys to be made via the by-pass. It may be necessary in the future to close Scots Gate to all traffic except buses, taxis and emergency vehicles.  Review of parking in town centre and re-introduction of charges for all-day parking to discourage travel to work by car. This is discussed further in section 6 of this report. Eventually it may be necessary to remove long-term parking from the town centre. To cater for commuters from outside Berwick and visitors who wish to spend the day in Berwick there will need to be a free, all-day car park within walking distance of the town centre. A possible site is the area around Seton Lodge. 6

 The establishment of the town centre as an area where pedestrians rather than cars dominate will discourage frequent, low-spend journeys to shop. This policy will be developed in section 6 of this report.

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4. Cyclists

Berwick sits at a key point on the North Sea Cycleway, an international cycle route from Bergen in Norway to Shetland. Two other National Cycle Routes terminate in Berwick. The condition of these routes through Berwick is far below standard despite local campaigning over the last ten years. A programme of improvement is needed so that Berwick can profit from the substantial revenue that cycle tourism will bring to the town. An improved National Cycle Route through Berwick will form the basis for a network of cycle routes within Berwick that will encourage residents to use a bicycle for their daily journeys.

Objectives  To provide a network of safe, high-quality cycle routes within Berwick to make travel to work, school and shops by cycle an enjoyable experience.  To encourage cycle tourism through Berwick by providing high-quality, safe National Cycle Routes through Berwick.

Issues  The National Cycle Route north-bound from Tweedmouth follows a circuitous route across the New Bridge up Tweed Street and over the railway line to Castle Terrace. It is poorly signed and difficult to follow. It does not give access to the Town Centre so is not an attractive route for local cyclists cycling to work or shop, nor to cycle tourists who wish to visit the town centre, especially those who are terminating a day’s journey to stay overnight. This leads many cyclists to push or ride their cycles illegally over the Old Bridge.  The south-bound route from the bottom of Castle Terrace presents an immediate difficulty in turning right over the railway bridge. Thereafter the route follows Castlegate, Marygate, Hide Hill, Bridge Street and then goes over the Old Bridge. This means coping with heavy traffic - sometimes stationary - four mini roundabouts, cars manoeuvring into parking spaces and drivers getting out of their parked cars without checking for any passing cyclist. This journey is seen as extremely dangerous by local people, especially for children going to school, and the touring cyclist has an additional problem of navigation due to the poor signing.  It is difficult for cyclists to cross, join or leave the main road (Main Street) at the bottom of Shielfield Terrace.  Schools in Berwick cannot be accessed by safe cycle routes.  The crossing of the A1 bypass by NCN1 is dangerous.  The National Cycle Route (NCN1) from Beal to Spittal has been signed over fields and rough tracks and is possibly the worst section of the National Cycle network in the UK.

Action Plan This plan creates a serviceable cycling infrastructure for Berwick in three phases:  Creation of a high-quality cycle route through Berwick.  Development of a network of safe cycle routes within Berwick linking the major traffic generators, especially schools, to the main cycle route through the town.

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 Building new traffic-free cycle paths from Berwick into the surrounding countryside and linking to the National cycle network. Where reference is made to a new cycle path all work should be carried out to a standard set out in Local Transport Note 2/08 – Cycle Infrastructure Design produced by the Department for Transport. Immediate (0-1 year)  Update and implement the Signing Schedule for the cycle route through the Town Centre which was produced for Sustrans in May 2006.  Minor works and signing on the NCN1 from Spittal to the Scottish Border to bring it up to standard. Short Term (1-5 years)  Close the Old Bridge to vehicular traffic (in conjunction with repairs to Bridge fabric).  Close to vehicular traffic the road (which is not a public Highway) from the Golf Club to the bowling green.  Create a safe cycle route from the bottom of Castle Terrace to Northumberland Avenue with a spur to the Station.  Bring the cliff-top path from Sea House to Spittal up to standard.  In association with Highways England create a safe crossing of the A1 at Cheswick Buildings. Medium Term (6-10 years)  Signalisation of the junction A1167/Shielfield Terrace/ Mount Road to allow cyclists to cross from Shielfield Terrace to Mount Road and also allow pedestrians to cross Main Street, Tweedmouth.  Create a cycle/pedestrian path through the Goodie Patchie from Mount Road or Dock Road to Billendean Road.  Create a cycle/pedestrian path from the Jingling Bridge to the Berwick Holiday Camp.  Sign a network of cycle routes off the NCN1 linking schools and other traffic generators to residential areas.  Create a cycle path from the bridge over the A1 at Letham Shank to the road to High Letham to form a safe crossing of the A1 for NCN1 and NCN76. Long Term (11-15 years)  Create a cycle path from the to the A1 at East Ord, under the A1 where it crosses the and along the track of the old railway towards Loanend to form an alternative start to NCN68 – Pennine Cycleway.  Create a cycle path from the Jingling Bridge between the railway line and the cliff top to the Scottish Border and on (in association with the Scottish Borders Council) to Lamberton to form an alternative start to NCN76 – Round the Forth Cycleway.  In association with the Scottish Borders Council create a cycle path from Erdington Mill across the Whiteadder on an existing footbridge and up to Paxton to form a new route for NCN1.

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5. Pedestrians

Walking is the obvious way of getting around a small town like Berwick. If people walked to school or to work, they would benefit from the exercise and become more productive as a result. With supermarkets and other shops spread throughout the town most people should be able to meet their daily needs by taking a short walk. This section looks at the obstacles to people walking around Berwick and puts forward an action plan for resolving these issues.

Objectives  Provide safe walking routes, which are also wheelchair-friendly, from the periphery of Berwick to the town centre.  Enable pedestrians to access the supermarkets, shopping centres and schools along the main road by providing crossing places.  Encourage people to spend time in Berwick town centre by making it a safe and pleasant place to walk around. The third objective is dealt with in Section 7.

Issues  It can be difficult to cross any of the main access routes into town due to a lack of safe pedestrian crossings.  Lack of safe waymarked walking routes from the Holiday Park, station and car parks into the town centre.  Berwick (Old) Bridge provides the best means of access for pedestrians from Tweedmouth and Spittal to the town centre, but pavements are narrow, of variable width and slope. In many places it is impossible to pass a pram or wheelchair user without entering the roadway. Whilst cyclists cannot legally use the Bridge to access the town, many do so, causing additional hazards for pedestrians.  The footways especially along the main roads are not wheelchair-friendly due to the absence of dropped kerbs and occasional sub-standard widths.  In the older residential areas cars parked on the footway and wheelie bins create obstacles to pedestrians.  New development is given planning permission on the basis that access will be primarily by car. Thus permission is given for long cul-de-sac housing developments with no pedestrian access at the far end, and shopping development is situated with immediate access to a main road with no pedestrian access from the surrounding housing (e.g. Asda).

Action Plan  The cycle network described in the previous section, especially where new links are proposed, will also be available for pedestrians. All paths should be of sufficient width, well maintained including winter maintenance, and lit.

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 Signalised crossing places on main roads through Berwick additional to those shown in Map 2 to be created to enable complete permeability for pedestrians. A summary of all the crossings is shown below:  Swan Centre / Billendean Terrace / Northumberland Road – either replace existing pelican crossing with a toucan crossing with suitable approaches for cyclists, or replace the roundabout with a signalized crossroads with a pedestrian phase and remove the pelican crossing.  Etal Road / Northumberland Road / Mount Road / Main Street – install a signalised crossroads with a pedestrian phase.  Osborne Road / Prince Edward Road / Kin Hill - install a signalised crossroads with a pedestrian phase and remove nearby pelican crossing.  Ord Drive / Union Park Road / Royal / Prince Edward Road – replace roundabout with a signalised crossroads with a pedestrian phase.  Marygate / Golden Square / Walkergate – replace mini-roundabouts and pelican crossing with a new scheme described in section 7 below.  Bottom of Castlegate – retain pelican crossing.  Castlegate / Railway Street / High Greens - replace mini-roundabout with a signalised crossroads with a pedestrian phase.  North Road / Castle Terrace – remodel junction (see Map 5).  North Road / Magdalene Drive (opposite Aldi) - install a signalised junction with a pedestrian phase.  North Road / Newfields / Loaning Meadow (Morrisons) – either replace the roundabout with a signalised crossroads with a pedestrian phase or install a pelican crossing nearby.  Sign the routes to the town centre from the Holiday Park, the station and Castlegate car park and improve the routes from Castlegate car park and the Holiday Park to Cow Port.  The Old Bridge to be renovated as the main access to the town centre for pedestrians walking from Tweedmouth and Spittal. It will be shared with cyclists and designed and signed to resolve conflicts.  Carry out an audit of the footways on main roads into Berwick to determine an improvement programme.  In areas where there are obstacles to pedestrians (e.g. Tweed Street, Well Square) create a shared space.

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6. Buses, Taxis and Coaches

Buses and taxis have an important role in transporting people around Berwick and coaches are a possible way of bringing visitors to Berwick. However, these three modes of transport are operated by the private sector and policies affecting them are not within the remit of this report. Nevertheless an ongoing partnership with the operators will be important in the delivery of a sustainable transport plan for Berwick.

Buses Berwick has a good town bus service operated by Perrymans Buses illustrated in Map 3. The network is being reviewed by the new operators West Coast Motors. These town buses are supplemented by a “Hoppa” bus service supported by the Town Council connecting the Town Centre with the Holiday Park, station, West End and Spittal on Wednesdays to Saturdays. The timing of the town services is such that most journeys within Berwick – to work, school or to shop – can be made by bus. Thus the town bus services provide a viable alternative to the car for those who do not wish to walk or cycle and cause far less damage to the environment. Perrymans and other companies run services out of Berwick to all the surrounding towns in Northumberland and the Scottish Borders with through services going to Newcastle, and Edinburgh. These services provide a useful means for visitors staying in Berwick without a car to explore other towns in the area. There is poor provision for bus users in the town centre, with no central bus stance and a lack of information on timetables and routes.

Taxis As the use of the motor car in Berwick is constrained, taxis will play an increasingly important role. People making trips to Edinburgh or Newcastle by train may make more use of taxis to get to and from the station rather than risk finding that the station car park is full. Shoppers may choose to walk into the town centre and get a taxi home with their shopping. All taxis in Berwick are independently owned and operated although there is informal co- operation between drivers to cover for each other. There are three ranks: in Marygate, Walkergate and at the station. None are signed. Sometimes they contain more taxis than there are spaces, especially at the station. At other times the ranks are empty with no taxis to meet demand and no facility for calling taxis. This can be particularly irritating when one arrives in Berwick by train in the early evening. Perhaps there is a case for introducing “Uber” technology which can be accessed not only by smart phone but also by landlines at the ranks.

Coaches There has been for some time space for two coaches in Walkergate. These are used mostly by the St Abbs buses waiting until it is time to go round the block to pick up passengers at the bus stop in Chapel Street. Occasionally the spaces are used by one or two visiting coaches which drop off the passengers and wait in the spaces until it is time to depart.

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For some reason two more spaces were created by NCC in Church Street at the end of the Parade. This facility is rarely used. Neither of the drop-off points has access to public conveniences. NCC are now building a coach park in Chapel Street. The Buchanan Study recommended that if there was need for a coach-parking facility the site at Newlands, which has access (at Morrisons) to a café and toilets, should be formalised. However, at this time there is no evidence of any demand beyond what can be catered for by the existing drop-off points. If Berwick starts to establish itself as a destination for coach tours, possibly when and if the Barracks project comes to fruition, then the issue will need to be revisited. The solution may be to incorporate a drop-off point as part of the refurbishment of the Parade and Cow Port as a shared space which is part of the town centre action plan described in the next section. Coach parking could be incorporated as part of a Park and Ride/Walk facility.

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7. Town Centre

Berwick’s unique walled town centre should be a major driver of economic prosperity. However, the town centre has become overrun by cars which creates an environment hostile to visitors. This section looks at ways in which the dominance of cars can be replaced by creating a pedestrian-friendly environment.

Objectives  Transform the town centre from an area dominated by cars to an area where pedestrians take ownership.  Manage the car parking to deter short-distance commuters and frequent low-spend shoppers, while encouraging visitors and higher-spending shoppers.  Make the town centre an area that is a delight to wander around.

Issues  The main road through Berwick passes through the town centre from Scots Gate to Golden Square. It is very heavily trafficked with turning movements into Walkergate and Marygate. It creates a significant barrier to pedestrian movement.  A significant proportion of the traffic coming through Scots Gate continues down Marygate, Hide Hill, Bridge Street and over the Old Bridge.  The introduction of free parking has led to a substantial increase of cars making short stops in Marygate and Hide Hill, thus adding to the high traffic volumes along Bridge Street and out over the Old Bridge.  When Castlegate becomes congested southbound some motorists seek to avoid the congestion by turning down Northumberland Avenue, across the Golf Course and through Cow Port.  Marygate, the main shopping street in town, needs to be much more pedestrian- friendly to encourage people, especially tourists, to spend time in town. It is cluttered, particularly on market days, and badly parked cars further obstruct pedestrians. Crossing it at present is difficult and dangerous.  Hide Hill resembles a car park with cars manoeuvring in and out of the parking spaces.  Pedestrians along Bridge Street are forced onto narrow footways to avoid the constant traffic.  The lifting of parking charges in the town centre has led to commuters and others occupying scarce parking places throughout the working day, This all means that there is a shortage of parking spaces for motorists wishing to come into the town centre to shop, thus reducing footfall and trade.  Pier Road provides access to the popular walk along the pier and the start of the Berwickshire Coastal Path. It is currently dangerous for pedestrians with passing cars, parked cars, blind bends and a lack of pavement among the hazards to contend with.  Pavement clutter and narrow pavements are a hazard throughout the town centre.

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 There is a lack of public conveniences in the town centre which will become more acute as more visitors are attracted. The two “tardis” conveniences in East Street and Woolmarket are poorly signed, not well liked and totally inadequate.

Action Plan This plan builds on the proposals put forward by the Buchanan Study. These are illustrated in Map 4. The main aim of the plan is to squeeze cars out of the town centre and create a pedestrian-friendly environment which will attract visitors and shoppers, increasing footfall and hence trade. It is important that the action plan is implemented carefully to ensure that its aims are met. The principal tool that will be used in the plan is to transform the streets within the town centre into shared spaces where pedestrians are given priority. This concept is set out in Local Transport Note 1/11 – Shared Space produced by the Department for Transport. Note that the programming suggested below is dependent on other development in the town centre which may lead to elements being delayed or brought forward. Broadly speaking, however, the sequence should be maintained. Immediate (0-1 year)  Review town-centre parking and reintroduce charges for all-day parking. Short Term (1-5 years)  Close the Old Bridge to vehicular traffic (in conjunction with repairs to the Bridge fabric) and create a southern gateway to the town centre for pedestrians and cyclists.  Refurbish Bridge Street as a shared space.  Formalise West Street as a shared space.  Close to vehicular traffic the road (which is not a public highway) from the Golf Club to the bowling green.  Refurbish The Parade and Cow Port as a shared space.  Develop and implement a coherent and comprehensive plan for signage of the town centre. This will take pedestrians from all points of entry, namely the station, the Holiday Park, Castlegate car park and Tweedmouth via the Old Bridge, to all points in the town centre including the Ramparts, Marygate, the Guildhall, The Maltings, Hide Hill, the Quayside, Bridge Street, the Granary YH, the Barracks and the Parish Church.  Review the provision of public conveniences. Medium Term (6-10 years)  Removal of the mini roundabouts at the junctions of Marygate with Walkergate and Golden Square and replacement with traffic signals which give regular opportunities for pedestrians to cross all roads. In effect this is creating a sequential shared space.  Completely renovate Marygate from Golden Square to Hide Hill as a shared space and take the opportunity to remove the clutter and provide seating, signage, information and cycle parking in a well-designed way. Retain the disabled parking and a taxi rank.  Remove parking from Hide Hill and Sandgate and renovate as a shared space including a few disabled parking bays. Examine the possibility of making it easier to climb the hill.  Reorganise the area in front of the Maltings as an urban square.

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Long Term (11-15 years)  Review the parking availability and decide whether a charge should be made for all parking in the town centre.  Decide whether a new Park and Ride/Walk car park is needed possibly on the land adjacent to Seton Lodge.  Roll out the shared space to include all streets in the centre and Pier Road.  Consider the possibility of closing Scots Gate to all vehicles excluding buses, taxis and emergency vehicles.

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Map 4. Potential Urban Realm Improvements 19

8. Railway Station

Berwick must be the best-connected small town in the UK. It is already served by frequent services provided by Virgin Trains East Coast and Cross Country Trains. Through trains are available northbound to Edinburgh, Glasgow, Inverness and Aberdeen. Southbound there are hourly trains to London via Newcastle and York and through trains via Leeds, Sheffield and to Birmingham and on to Reading and Penzance via Bristol. Trans Pennine Express Trains will provide a service from Berwick to Manchester and Liverpool. Scotrail will run a regular stopping service from Berwick to Edinburgh and a campaign has been started to get a regular stopping train from Berwick to Newcastle. This excellent connectivity has two important benefits in relation to implementing a more sustainable transport system for Berwick. They are: 1. Berwick, with its excellent range of services and cultural events and easy access to Newcastle, Edinburgh and London by train, is an attractive place to live for the growing number of people who would like to do without a car. 2. Berwick makes an attractive destination for day trips, short breaks and longer holidays for those people from big cities in the UK and abroad who would like to leave their car at home. Part of generating this demand will involve marketing but in this section we look at improving the linkages between the station and the rest of Berwick, particularly the town centre.

Issues Passengers leaving Berwick  There is insufficient car parking to meet present demand. During the week the car park at the station is full before 9.00 am. This leads to motorists looking for alternatives, which include neighbouring streets such as Castle Terrace and Northumberland Avenue, and at present the free long-term parking in the town centre.  For Berwick residents, especially commuters, who choose to cycle to the station there is a lack of secure, undercover, cycle parking. Passengers arriving in Berwick  As you leave the station there is no information or map to help you orientate yourself.  There are no signs pointing you towards the town centre.  The taxi rank may be full or indeed overfull when you arrive but at certain times of the day there are no taxis waiting and no means of summoning a taxi.  There are posters with onward travel information showing the buses that are available, the destinations they serve, the times they run and where they stop (which may involve a walk over to Castlegate) but they are positioned where they cannot be easily spotted by arriving passengers. The bus offer is generally poor with most Perrymans services (including the service to Eyemouth and St Abbs) going straight up and down Castlegate (see Map 3). The “Hoppa” bus is not publicised.

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 There are no signs directing cyclists onto the National Cycle Network or into the town centre.  Trains serving Berwick have inadequate capacity to carry cycles. As demand grows the problem will get worse.

Policies Parking  The fundamental argument put forward in this report is that the problem of congested roads and inadequate parking provision is not solved by providing more capacity but by encouraging people, especially Berwick residents, to use more sustainable forms of transport – walking, cycling, catching the bus or taking a taxi. This applies to the station. There is a long-standing proposal to use railway land to the west of the station for additional parking. If this is ever agreed then this will provide further capacity. However, no further sites for additional station car parking should be considered. Charges for all-day parking in the town-centre car parks should be introduced at the same rate as the charges for the station car park and this rate should be adjusted upwards periodically to keep demand within the available capacity. Rigorous enforcement should be undertaken on streets surrounding the station to suppress illegal parking.  Cycling will become increasingly popular for Berwick commuters from the station as the cycle network is improved. More secure (using CCTV) and covered cycle parking needs to be provided. Information  A map of Berwick together with other information needs to be displayed clearly where arriving passengers can see it, ideally facing the station exit.  Walking routes to the town centre and the Holiday Park should be signed clearly starting at the map described above.  Arrangements need to be made with the taxi drivers to either ensure that there is at least one taxi waiting to pick up arriving passengers at all times, or there is the means to call a taxi at the station exit.  The information about buses, destinations, timetables and where to catch them should be displayed with the map described above possibly supplemented with a real-time illuminated display showing departures. There is scope for re-routing buses so that more stop in front of the station and a good service is provided into the town centre and perhaps on to Spittal. Cycle tourists  A good route to join National Cycle Network should be created and signed. See Map 5 for proposals for such a link.  To overcome the lack of capacity for cycles on trains a cycle-hire facility should be developed at the station.

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 Appendix 1 Extracts from the Buchanan Report

Baseline data gathering

Data gathering A baseline data gathering exercise was undertaken including;  a full parking survey  traffic counts, and  a pedestrian survey Additionally, a questionnaire was issued to stakeholders in order for them to rank the study objectives and to provide their views on the traffic and parking issues affecting the town. Copies of the questionnaire were also available from the Tourist Information Office and the local library. This chapter summarises the key issues identified from the baseline survey. Full results from the survey programme and questionnaire are provided in the Baseline Report.

Parking Key issues From the analysis of the survey data, and on-site inspections, the following key issues were identified:  there are nearly 1300 paid on and off-street parking spaces in Berwick town centre; however, 450 of these are in the Castlegate car park. Sections of Castlegate can be closed following wet weather, significantly reducing the overall town-centre parking supply  Peak weekday occupancy is approximately 85% of capacity, with the overflow area of Castlegate unavailable. Generally, an occupancy of 90% should be considered as a practical maximum  within the ramparts, nearly 60% of all off-street car parking is currently long stay This results in low levels of vehicle turnover and impacts upon the economic vitality of the town centre, particularly for local shops and businesses  duration surveys indicate significant numbers of vehicles parking in excess of 2 hours in short-stay car parks  peak on-street demand is approximately 80% of capacity on a weekday and 72% of capacity on a Saturday  Hide Hill and Chapel St parking demand is close to capacity for much of the day  existing signing of car parks is poor, particularly for visitors. Improved signing of the Castlegate car park would encourage visitors to park there, helping to reduce vehicle numbers in the historic town centre core  no coach parking is available in or near the town centre, although coaches are being advised to park at Newfields, where there are adjacent toilet and eating facilities

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Traffic movement Key issues Congestion occurs on the A1167 at peak times and the Castlegate / Golden Square and Walkergate mini-roundabout junctions are extremely busy throughout the day. Right- turning traffic into the Castlegate car park can block back into these junctions causing significant congestion at peak periods. Other issues include:  other than on Castlegate / Golden Square, traffic volumes are relatively low; however, there are many potential vehicle conflicts  the large number of small car parks results in drivers searching for parking spaces, increasing overall traffic volumes  “Stop n shop” trips further increase traffic flows

Public transport / taxis Key issues A number of issues affecting taxis and public transport have been identified. These are:  there is relatively poor penetration of the town centre by bus  bus shelters are old and have limited facilities  bus stop timetable information is poor  the existing taxi rank on Marygate is well positioned but waiting facilities and information are poor

Walking and cycling Key issues Some of the key issues affecting pedestrian and cycling movement are:  there are high levels of pedestrian footfall on Marygate, but much lower levels elsewhere  pedestrian signage is insufficient and not comprehensive enough to attract people to alternative areas. Especially for visitors, wayfinding is not always intuitive  the Marygate / Castlegate / Golden Square junction acts as a barrier to pedestrian movement  there are limited facilities for cyclists. While there is a designated cycle route through the town it is poorly signed. Also the provision of cycle racks at strategic locations is limited  people should be encouraged to cycle more and use it as a valuable alternative transport mode

Streets and public spaces Key issues Significant effort has been put into improving the streetscape in Berwick, particularly on Marygate and West St - nevertheless, the overall appearance of the town could be improved. Other issues impacting on the attractiveness of the urban realm include:  narrow pavements on Bridge St and on Marygate adjacent to the town hall  worn and broken paving on Hide Hill and Bridge St - it is understood that Berwick Borough Council are proceeding with a design for Castlegate and, in the medium term, Bridge St

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 existing street furniture is old and of poor quality. Most seating, bins and railings are painted black offering little contrast with the Caithness stone paving. Consequently, streets appear dowdy and dull  a poor-quality environment in the Eastern Lane car park. This is an accidental space overlooked on two sides by the rear of commercial properties. Fragmented ownership of the site has resulted in poor-quality surfacing, landscaping and street furniture.

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Action Plan

Parking Priority Timescale Lead agency Partners CP1 Work with English Heritage to secure the use of the overflow Castlegate car park in the Very high Short BBC / NCC EH short term CP2 Work with English Heritage to prepare an exit strategy from the Castlegate car park. High Ongoing BBC / NCC BFP, BTC, NR Options include:  extending the use of the overflow area for an agreed further period  making the Castlegate overflow area permanent, with a significant investment in a high quality scheme.  identifying new parking opportunities CP3 Phase the relocation of long stay parking outside the ramparts in order to increase short High Short BBC / NCC stay supply in the town centre and help support local shops and businesses CP4 Better define the role of each car park (possibly through the introduction of a colour High Short BBC / NCC coding system) CP5 Improve car park signing, including VMS (particularly for visitors to encourage use of the Very high Short BBC / NCC Castlegate car park) CP6 Review parking charges to: High Short BBC / NCC  better manage demand – e.g. lower charges at less popular car parks  make on-street car parking more expensive than off-street for the same length of stay  address existing parking anomalies CP7 Review length of stay restrictions to: High Short BBC / NCC  encourage visitors using the Castlegate car park to stay longer (visitors currently have to choose between staying for less or more than 3 hours)  Provide additional 3 hr short stay parking where demand is lower CP8 Improve enforcement of parking and waiting restrictions High Short BBC / NCC CP9 Review parking permit charges and availability to maintain consistency with the High Short BBC / NCC strategy aims CP10 Monitor demand for disabled parking - liaise with stakeholders to provide additional Medium Ongoing BBC / NCC spaces as demand necessitates CP11 Formalise coach parking at Newfields in the short term (but review opportunities for High Short / medium BBC / NCC parking closer to the town centre as opportunities arise) CP13 Develop a Park & Ride service (initially during summer weekends based on an Medium Medium BBC / NCC enhancement of existing public transport services)

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Traffic management Priority Timescale Lead agency Partners TM1 Implement traffic signals at Marygate / Castlegate / Golden Square and Castlegate / High Short NCC BBC Walkergate to reduce traffic / pedestrian conflicts TM2 Improve / replace directions signs in the town centre Very high Short BBC / NCC TM3 Repaint road markings and review signing at the Marygate / Church St / Hide Hill / Very high Short BBC / NCC Woolmarket junction to better define vehicle priorities

Public transport Priority Timescale Lead agency Partners PT1 Replace bus shelters, including new seating and lighting High Short BBC / NCC PT2 Improve the quality of bus stop timetable information (through improved cooperation High Short BBC / NCC PRY, ARR and support to bus operators) PT3 Explore the potential for real time bus information with the operators, the county Low Medium BBC, NCC PRY, ARR council and neighbouring authorities PT4 Reinforce and strengthen town public transport services (possibly in conjunction with Medium Medium NCC PRY Park & Ride) PT5 Develop proposals for a low energy hop-on/off bus to improve access to the town Low Medium NCC centre PT6 Improve facilities and information and town centre and station taxi ranks High Short BBC

Walking / cycling Priority Timescale Lead agency Partners WA1 Improve pedestrian signing to: Very high Short BFP BBC, BTC, BTP, CS  encourage pedestrian footfall on Hide Hill, Bridge St  improve wayfinding for tourists  explore the ramparts WA2 Better sign existing national and local cycle routes Medium Short BBC / NCC WA3 Develop the local and sub-regional cycling network Medium Ongoing BBC / NCC BFP, BTC, NT WA4 Provide additional cycle parking facilities Medium Short BBC / NCC WA5 Introduce advanced stop lines for cyclists at junctions throughout the town Medium Medium NCC BBC

Streets and public spaces Priority Timescale Lead agency Partners PS1 Develop a design guide for street furniture to ensure a consistent look throughout the Very high Short BBC / NCC BTC, BCT, BPT, town BTP, EH, CS PS2 Undertake an audit of existing street furniture and replace worn or broken items Very high Short BBC / NCC BTC, BCT, BTP (following the design guide)

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PS3 Improve maintenance of streets and street furniture and create a budget for such Very high Short works PS4 Review the location of bollards on Marygate with a view to increasing the available High Short BBC / NCC BFP space for pedestrians and the market PS5 Implement planned streetscape improvements on Castlegate, Golden Square and Medium Short / Medium BBC / NCC Bridge St PS6 Develop proposals for streetscape improvements on Hide Hill Medium Medium PS7 Develop The Maltings space as a new civic square Medium Medium BFP BBC, BCT, BPT, BTP, EH, CS PS8 Parade ground development and enhancement Low Medium BFP NCC, BBC PS9 Turn Bridge St into a shared pedestrian / vehicle space with vehicle access restricted Low Medium outside certain times PS10 Turn Old Bridge into pedestrian / cycle only link to Tweedmouth and Spittal Low Long BFP PS11 Extend share space scheme to Marygate and ultimately all areas within the ramparts Low Long BFP (except Castlegate / Golden Square)

New development / residential parking Priority Timescale Lead agency Partners DV1 Where new on-site parking cannot be provided, work with developers to identify Medium Ongoing NCC BBC appropriate alternative arrangements DV2 Monitor the loss of parking spaces as a result of new development and adjust provision High Ongoing BBC / NCC NCC to maintain short stay parking within the ramparts RP1 Review residents permit charges on an annual basis, based on increases in general Medium Ongoing NCC parking charges and residential demand

Campaigns Priority Timescale Lead agency Partners CA1 Promote walking and cycling to school Very high Ongoing CA2 Work with hotels and B&B’s to promote car free / reduced car use holidays High Ongoing NT CA3 Develop the town centre marketing campaign to encourage people to the town centre High Ongoing BFP BBC, BTC, BTP, CT CA4 Promote health benefits of increased walking and cycling High Ongoing NCT / NCC CA5 Provide an integrated transport guide to the borough Medium Short BBC / NCC CA6 Join international campaigns to discourage car use Medium Short BFP CA7 Promote car free weekends (in conjunction with key town centre events) Medium Short BFP

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Key Short 0 – 5 years Medium 5-10 years Long >10 years

BFP – Berwick’s Future Partners BBC – Berwick-upon-Tweed Borough Council NCC – Northumberland County Council BTC – Berwick-upon-Tweed Town Council BTP – Berwick-upon-Tweed Town Partnership BCT – Berwick Community Trust CS – Civic Society NT – Northumberland Tourism NCT – Northumberland Care Trust

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Appendix 2

Journey to Work

Berwick East Berwick Berwick West Whole Area Within Area North with Ord No % No % No % No % No % Car/van/taxi/mc 1,450 62.2 1,183 56.6 1,234 67.7 3,867 61.9 3,442 61.3 Public transport 184 7.9 125 6.0 89 4.9 398 6.4 199 3.5 On foot 542 23.2 561 26.9 377 20.7 1,480 23.7 1,480 26.3 Bicycle 39 1.7 49 2.3 24 1.3 112 1.8 112 2.0 Work from home 94 4.0 152 7.3 76 4.2 322 5.2 322 5.7 Other 23 1.0 19 0.9 22 1.2 64 1.0 64 1.1 Total 2,332 100.0 2,089 100.0 1,822 100.0 6,243 100.0 5,619 100.0

This table was produced from Northumberland Knowledge 2011 Census Ward Fact Sheets.

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