The Overview and Scrutiny Coordination Committee of Newcastle upon Tyne Council met on 11 September 2025 to discuss the Movement Strategy Framework and next steps for the council. The meeting was also scheduled to cover the date and time of the next meeting.

Here's a breakdown of the key items from the agenda:

Movement Strategy Framework

The committee was scheduled to discuss the Movement Strategy Framework, a long-term vision for sustainable, inclusive, and healthy transport in Newcastle. The supplementary agenda included a report that sought formal adoption of the framework, detailed in Appendix A of the report.

The Movement Strategy aims to establish a set of principles that prioritise sustainability, inclusivity, and health in transport planning. It intends to provide a citywide transport and movement framework that can be easily understood and accessed by stakeholders.

Key aspects of the strategy include:

• Vision: To build an inclusive, sustainable, healthy, and thriving Newcastle.
• Principles: Improving Access, Sustainable Growth, and Increasing Wellbeing.
• Targets: Measurable targets related to public transport access, inclusive access standards, reduction of transport-related social exclusion, increased walking and cycling, electric bus operation, and more.

The strategy emphasises a shift towards sustainable transport options and a reduction in car dependency. It also aims to align transport planning with broader city outcomes such as economic growth, public health, and environmental considerations.

The report pack included several appendices providing further information:

• Appendix A: The Movement Strategy Framework itself, which outlines the vision, principles, and targets of the strategy.
• Appendix B: An Integrated Impact Assessment (IIA).
• Appendix C: A Public Consultation Feedback Report, summarising the input received from over 1,300 individuals and organisations during a 7-week consultation period.

The consultation revealed strong public support for the strategy's vision, with almost 80% of respondents backing the idea of an inclusive, sustainable, healthy, and thriving Newcastle. Respondents highlighted the importance of better public transport (93%), safer roads (89%), improved facilities for disabled people (84%), cleaner air (79%), and better facilities for walking, wheeling, and cycling.

The report also acknowledged the importance of freight movement and logistics to the local economy, and the need to balance economic efficiency with environmental responsibility.

As Newcastle aims to become more sustainable and people centred, freight policy must strike a balance between economic efficiency and environmental responsibility. This includes recognising the differing needs of long-distance freight, local logistics, and last-mile delivery.

The Movement Strategy also recognises the importance of Electric Vehicles (EVs) in decarbonising road transport, while also acknowledging that EVs are not at the expense of efforts to reduce overall car dependence.

Next Steps

The committee was scheduled to discuss the next steps in producing a Movement Strategy Implementation Plan to work alongside the Movement Strategy Framework. The report stated that implementation would begin following cabinet approval, with initial projects set out in the forthcoming Movement Strategy Implementation Plan, to be published later in the year.