BUS LANE EXCLUDED FROM TRANSPORT BID

Plans for a new bus lane on the West Road have been excluded from the submission to the Government by transport operator Nexus.

The scheme was removed on the grounds that the benefits of the bus lane, running eastwards into the city centre, did not match the costs.

Nexus submitted its proposals to the Department of Transport under the Tyne and Wear Local Transport Plan, which would see £15.3 million spent on improving bus routes across the region for millions of passengers.

Councillor PJ Morrissey says: "At present it remains unclear whether a modified scheme will eventually be submitted.

"The discussion on the Tesco application will obviously have an impact on the calculations as will the identification or not of a suitable park and ride location."

A possible park and ride site had been identified at the former Lemington Middle School but this has been rejected because it was deemed to be too far from the A1 and the West Road.