Joy as ‘bonkers’ Chester Road bus lanes plans axed and ‘horror’ subway to be replaced

Lib Dem councillors and residents in Grindon and Hastings Hill are celebrating after the city council confirmed today they are axing plans for bus lanes along The Broadway, as well as seeking to replace a hated underpass with a safe, ground-level pedestrian crossing.

Opposition Lib Dem councillors are celebrating success after Sunderland Council agreed today (17 September) to drop plans to install bus lanes along The Broadway between The Wavendon pub and the Hastings Hill roundabout.

The plans were opposed by councillors and residents who argued that it would increase delays, lead to more congestion on the tiny Springwell Road/Holborn Road roundabout, and push traffic into neighbouring estates.

Instead, the Council are now seeking to use money from the Government’s ‘Bus Service Improvement Plan’ fund to improve access to local bus services from neighbouring areas along the key route in and out of the city centre.

This will include seeking to replace the underpass between Grindon and Pennywell next to the Hastings Hill roundabout with a safe, ground-level pedestrian crossing. The subway has recently been subject to severe damage and fires in recent weeks meaning residents refuse to use it.

Commenting, Lib Dem councillor for Grindon and Hastings Hill Stephen O’Brien said:

“It didn’t take a genius to realise that new bus lanes running along pinch points on The Broadway would made horrific traffic tailbacks and congestion even worse – and increase the numbers of people using neighbouring estates at rat runs.

“Local people will be celebrating that the Council have finally seen sense, listened and done the decent thing by dropping these bonkers plans for bus lanes which would have made lives of motorists and local people across the Grindon an absolute misery.”

Fellow Lib Dem councillor and Leader of the Opposition on Sunderland City Council Paul Edgeworth commented:

“For years people in Grindon and Hastings Hill have been forced to use a dark, smelly and dangerous subway to get across the busy dual carriageway to get to the shops or catch the bus to town.

“Our community is celebrating today that the Council is finally seeking to replace this hated subway which has recently been burnt out and is extremely dangerous as it has no lighting at all. A safe, ground-level pedestrian crossing over The Broadway will help people get to and from ALDI without taking their life in their hands by going down into an underpass that was like something out of a horror film.”