The Thriving Sub-Committee of North Tyneside Council met on Tuesday, 30 September 2025, to discuss the North Tyneside Transport Strategy, the committee's work programme, and other matters. The meeting was scheduled to take place at the Quadrant, The Silverlink North, Cobalt Business Park, North Tyneside. The agenda included a review of the minutes from the previous meeting, and consideration of priorities for the work programme for 2025-26.

North Tyneside Transport Strategy

The Sub-Committee was scheduled to receive a high-level summary on the progress of the North Tyneside Transport Strategy in a regional context. According to the report pack, council officers were expected to provide more detail in a presentation.

The North Tyneside Transport Strategy includes the vision:

Moving to a green, healthy, dynamic and thriving North Tyneside

The report pack notes that strategic transport and public transport governance has been delivered at a regional level for some time, more recently through the former North East Joint Transport Committee. It also notes that Nexus continues to be the Passenger Transport Executive and delivers certain public transport services, including operating the Tyne and Wear Metro and Shields Ferry and managing supported bus services in Tyne and Wear.

The report pack also refers to the North East Local Transport Plan (NE LTP), which was approved by the North East Combined Authority (NECA) Cabinet in March 2025, and includes a pipeline of schemes promoted by local authorities and regional partners.

The report pack states that the council inputs into NECA's governance structure at both political and officer levels. It gives the example that North Tyneside's Elected Mayor is NECA's Cabinet Member for Home to the Green Energy Revolution.

The report pack also notes current transport projects with relevance to travel throughout the borough, including:

• Northumberland Park rail station scheduled to open in 2026
• Shields Ferry landing relocation to Western Quay
• CRSTS Connected Stations planned improvements to active travel links to Palmersville Metro station
• CRSTS Active Travel projects including improved sustainable links in Wallsend town centre; North Shields Fish Quay; the North West of North Tyneside; and active travel routes in the borough

Work Programme 2025/26

The Sub-Committee was scheduled to discuss its work programme for the 2025/26 municipal year. The report pack included a scrutiny topic suggestion sheet, and a menu of potential topics for consideration.

The Centre for Governance and Scrutiny (CfGS) recommends:

• Inclusive work planning by all committee members
• Flexibility in programme development
• Strong collaboration with Cabinet Members and senior officers
• Focused, strategic scrutiny

The report pack included a table of suggested work items for the committee:

The report pack also listed other potential topics for consideration by the Sub-Committee:

• Plans for Whitley Bay/Town Centres update
• Ward Plans / Ward Transport Plans Environment Committee
• Numbers of residents out of work and help available to get back into work
• Post 16 Attainment (once results are available to share)
• Progress with Sixth Form College in North Shields
• Progress with Segedunum Re-development
• Cabinet Response to Derelict Properties Task and Finish Group Recommendations