College Road bus gate operating date confirmed

The bus gate will become operational from Monday, April 3 at 5am and will operate in both directions of College Road.

College Road bus gate operating date confirmed

A new bus gate along College Road, Stoke-on-Trent is set to come into force next month to ease congestion.

The bus gate will become operational from Monday, April 3 at 5am and will operate in both directions of College Road, with access only available for local service buses, taxis (including Stoke-on-Trent private hire vehicles), and cyclists. It is being provided to improve air quality and reduce local congestion by redirecting through traffic that is not accessing local properties and amenities. It will also allow for a more pleasant area for people to walk and cycle, and improve reliability and journey times for bus passengers.

The route will start/cease near Queen Anne Street, allowing road users to take an alternative route, and will start/cease just after the island at the junction for College Road, just off Station Road.

A spokesperson for Stoke-on-Trent City Council has said: “The bus gate is pivotal in providing safe access for public transport users, cyclists, and pedestrians. Activating the bus gate is a positive step in our wider plans to enhance the gateway to the city”

The consultation on the bus gate proposal was carried out in October 2021 and Stoke-on-Trent City Council has designed the scheme to maintain access to local businesses while improving facilities for public transport, pedestrians, and cyclists, in line with the consultation feedback we received. Further consultation was conducted in July 2022 on a wider package of proposals as part of the Transforming Cities Fund scheme between the train station and the city centre.

This will see cycle lanes provided on the upper part of College Road and Regent Road, with no traffic restrictions on this part of the route. The Transforming Cities Fund is a national competitive fund that focuses on sustainable transport improvements.

In addition from 7 June 2024, Newcastle-under-Lyme private hire vehicles are also entitled to use this bus gate on College Road.