Blyth Market Place is a public space situated within Blyth Town centre intended predominantly for pedestrians, with some limited permitted vehicular usage for traders to gain access and trade on market days and events.

The Council has been made aware of inappropriate use of the market area for parking. Existing ‘No Entry’ restrictions are ignored while the barrier system is left open, resulting in interactions and conflict between motorists parking and pedestrians wanting to access local businesses.

To counter this, Northumberland County Council will put in place the following measures:
 

Barrier System Operation

• The barriers will remain in place, and locks will be added to them
• The barriers will be opened, and access will be permitted for the daily loading of premises between 7 am, and 10 am.
• The barrier gates will be locked to prevent access between 10 am, and 7 am the following morning every day.
• Exemptions for market days and events will remain, but the barriers will be locked during the specified times.
• Traders can continue to use their vehicles during the market day to trade from or park adjacent to their stall. 
• Access will be granted to emergency services should the need arise.

Pedestrian Only Zone

• A ‘Pedestrian Only Zone’ will be introduced, which will replace the existing ‘No Entry’ signs to prevent parking between 10 am and 7 am the following morning every day to supplement the barrier system.
• The existing restrictions are deemed a ‘moving traffic offence’, which is only enforceable by the police as resources permit.
• The proposed restrictions come under the authority of the Local Authority’s Civil Enforcement Officers, where regular patrols of the area can ensure compliance.

Implementation

The ‘Pedestrian Only Zone’ will be implemented on an ‘Experimental’ basis for up to 18 months.

• The barriers will be locked as set out above from April 2022 onwards
• The Pedestrian Zone is anticipated to be in place by May 2022

Longer-term arrangements for Market Place will be integrated with planned improvements to the area as part of the Energising Blyth Regeneration Programme.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a Pedestrian Zone?
Pedestrian zones are generally areas such as shopping streets where pedestrians will usually predominate and have full use of the area throughout the day.
 

What signs will be implemented and where? 
Two signs will be installed on Regent Street, Waterloo Road and Wanley Street, Blyth.

What the Sign Means

Who will enforce the scheme?
Our Civil Enforcement Officers regularly patrol this area. At present, they cannot prevent parking in the Market Place due to a lack of restrictions. Once the Pedestrian Zone is implemented, Penalty Charge Notices (PCNs) can be issued to anyone parking. Loading and unloading will still be permitted.

 

If you have any queries regarding the alterations above, please Email highwaysprogramme@northumberland.gov.uk.

To gain access for specific reasons such as time-limited loading, please contact Neil Brown on 07909688174.