Work progresses on former Peacocks site ahead of new Sunderland city centre bus gate

Plans were approved last year for a traffic gyratory and ‘bus gate’ in Sunderland city centre at the top of Blandford Street.

There’s been activity on the old demolished Peacocks area, which was hit by fire in 2019, ahead of wider improvements to Holmeside.

Eventually, a new road link will connect Holmeside to Brougham Street by cutting through Maritime Street, across Blandford Street – straight through the site of the former Peacocks building.

As part of the scheme, a traffic regulation order (TRO) was approved for the one-way system and bus gate, which is intended to reduce congestion, improve journey time reliability for buses and taxis, “enhance the pedestrian environment” and improve road safety.

A camera-enforced “bus gate” will also be brought in at a new narrowed Crowtree Road junction to prohibit vehicles using Holmeside as a “through route.”

The bus gate would be marked “buses, taxis and cycles only” and although bus services would still be able to travel onto Vine Place, this would be “westbound only.”

During consultation on the TRO, the proposals were backed by transport operators including Stagecoach, Go North East and Station Taxis.

However, the scheme has not been without its objections.

Concerns have been raised about how it could “isolate” local businesses and impact trade. Concerns also included the proposed bus gate “scaring customers from coming into the city centre” and the bus gate being used as a “money-making scheme” for the city.

However, a council report confirmed that income generated from fixed penalties issued as a result of the bus gate would be “ring fenced” and “spent on future road safety/highway intervention schemes.”

After being put to the vote, the TRO was narrowly approved with five councillors voting in favour and four against.

The decision meant council chiefs can now take “all necessary steps” to bring forward the TRO and associated physical works.

Labour council bosses have previously defended the scheme and said it had been designed to “rationalise bus movements and other vehicular movements within the city centre, while enhancing road safety and accessibility for all highway users”.