Callerton Parkway Nexus Metro station car park expanding in plan to cut Newcastle congestion
A major park and ride site in Newcastle is poised for a major expansion.
Multi-million pound plans to expand the car park at the Tyne and Wear Metro’s Callerton Parkway station have been approved.
The proposals would see the facility’s capacity increase by 152 spaces, from the current 192 bays to 349 bays, while 36 electric vehicle charging points, a new bus loop, and bike shelters are also planned as part of the investment.
It is understood that the project is due to receive around £3.6 million from the North East Combined Authority, agreed as part of the region’s City Regional Sustainable Transport Settlement (CRSTS) programme, subject to a final business case being agreed.
After the plans were granted permission by Newcastle City Council’s planning committee on Friday, Nexus commercial director Helen Mathews said: “Our plans will increase the parking capacity at Callerton, provide it with new charging points for electric vehicles, and create more facilities for cycle storage. Metro park and ride sites have a vital role to play in cutting congestion and helping to improve air quality.
“They give customers the convenience of being able to park outside of our city centres and travelling there on Metro. This site supports sustainable travel from the surrounding strategic housing sites and in and around the wider North East Combined Authority region.”
The Metro car park in Callerton Lane will be expanded onto a neighbouring field, which is surrounded by but not a part of the Tyne and Wear Green Belt.
Woolsington Parish Council and the Woolsington Residents Association objected to the plans, raising concerns about the loss of green space and questioning whether there was sufficient demand to justify the expansion.
However, council planners said the expanded park and ride site would still be significantly smaller than the 600 spaces it is allocated for in the local authority’s development plan and called it “one of the best performing park and ride facilities in Tyne and Wear”.
Labour councillor Juna Sathian, the council’s cabinet member for climate and transport, said: “I’m really pleased that this application to expand the park and ride facility at Callerton has been approved by planning committee today.
“This development will not only provide additional parking capacity but will also include new charging points for electric vehicles and new shelters with dedicated cycle parking.
“It will enable more people to make use of the park and ride service, helping to reduce congestion in our city centre and improve our air quality and wider environment.”