Safe Newcastle Bridges Consultation  
Meeting between XXXXXXXXXX & XXXXXXXXX NEAS and Graham Grant NCC 
11th February 2021 
 
This meeting was arranged to discuss issues that the North East Ambulance Service might have encountered 
during the previous 6 months under the experimental closure of 5 small bridges in Newcastle and to record 
their views as a contribution to the consultation. 
The bridges in question are Salters Bridge on Hollywood Avenue, Stoneyhurst Road Bridge and Dene Bridge, 
Castle Farm Road – all in the Gosforth area, Haldane Bridge in Jesmond and Argyle Street Bridge in the 
Ouseburn area. 
The fundamental point that NEAS wish to make is that they maintain a neutral position in their response to 
these types of consultations but strongly support measures that seek to improve road safety and reduce 
accidents and injuries. 
Measuring the impact of changes like these bridge closures is extremely difficult, the numbers are so small that 
they don’t have a noticeable impact on any modelling exercise we may carry out therefore measuring the 
impact is not possible.  This wil  also mean the impact on response times is negligible. 
Graham stressed the NCC weren’t looking for specific approvals or disapprovals in this case but were happy to 
be able to record that the Ambulance Service had confidence in their communication routes into the Council 
and that processes are in place, should they wish to raise any issues with the management of the road 
network. 
NEAS tell us that some of the bridges in question aren’t suitable routes for their emergency vehicles because 
of existing weight restrictions.  In terms of scheduled patient care vehicles, the impact of closures may mean a 
slightly longer journey with minimal impact. 
Journeys are generally unpredictable for Ambulances, in emergency situations, the vehicles that are closest to 
an incident are cal ed upon, they wil  be already in the field not waiting at a station to be deployed so the 
approach to the destination could be from any direction. Information about road closures is added to the 
mapping system immediately so should not create problems. 
NEAS are not aware of any issues arising in emergency calls during the closure – no reports have been made 
by crews or the public. 
Generally, Ambulances prefer to travel on main roads and enter residential roads as close to the destination as 
possible. 
A media enquiry about the closure of Stoneyhurst Bridge was answered in the same way as our enquiry – 
NEAS hold a neutral position but support road safety initiatives and work closely with NCC. 
In conclusion, Graham reiterated that this contribution would be referenced in the findings of the consultation 
report that wil  be written in the coming months and thanked NEAS colleagues for their time. 

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