Background
Cowpen Quay is situated to the
North of Blyth town centre. The
houses are terraced and mainly owner occupied. The
area has a young population with over 22% being under 15yrs old. The area is currently traffic calmed but is ineffective. Although
it is among the most deprived areas in the county, it has a strong
community spirit with a number of activity groups and associations.
Scheme Objectives
 | To
discourage extraneous vehicular traffic, making the quay safer for
pedestrians and cyclists.
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| To
re-allocate road space to people
|
| To
improve pedestrian and cyclist access within the Home Zone and to
nearby services and facilities
|
| To
reduce the fear of crime.
|
| To
manage residents parking.
|
| To
provide play areas. |
Impacts
The general feedback is that it
is a much more pleasant area to live in and there is a greater
appreciation of green spaces which was initially disliked.
Street lighting has reduced the perception of crime through
improvements to street lighting. Residents
have said it feels safer to walk in the area. The
perception of traffic speed is lower than before, as is the volumes of
traffic, especially heavy goods vehicles cutting through the area. House prices in the area have increased since the Home Zone
was implemented.
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Progress
- March 2005
Works to Durban Street completed
apart from tree and shrub planting, which will be carried out with that on
Wright Street. The works on Wright Street are expected to be complete
shortly, with tree and shrub planting to both Wright Street and Durban
Street booked for 1st week in March. Works
have also been completed on some of the adjoining back lanes. Consultation
has been carried out regarding future works funded from other sources.
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