Challenge: Four Lane Ends Interchange

Four Lane Ends Interchange is a multimodal transport hub in North Tyneside. It includes a Metro station (on the Newcastle to Whitley Bay via South Gosforth line), large bus station and retail space. The Metro station opened in 1980 and was redeveloped in 2004 to include a 475 space car park.

The Interchange serves the suburbs of Benton, Longbenton and High Heaton. Nearby employment sites include Benton Park View to the west (including government offices shortly to be relocated to Newcastle), Tyneview Park to the south east and Quorum Park to the north. It is also close to the Freeman Hospital. In addition, passengers from further afield use the Interchange for park-and-ride and bus-to-Metro travel. The Interchange is close to a number of smaller, mainly independent shops and food offers on adjacent roads.

Four Lane Ends is significantly quieter than it was previously, with 692,126 passenger entries and exits during the 2024/25 period compared to a pre-pandemic figure of 933,414. The number of bus services and passengers has also fallen. In parallel, there is less need for some of the previously busy facilities, such as the travel ticket office and newsagent. As a result, overall footfall has fallen and a number of units are currently unused. The car park itself is also quieter than originally expected. This creates an opportunity for new business and community activities, which could involve:

• retail using existing spaces or meanwhile use of larger spaces (for example a market)

• entertainment

• food and drink, either permanent or on a meanwhile basis (such as a food fair)

• meeting spaces

• business space, including co-working spaces

• anything else!

Any new use would be subject to planning rules, health and safety and suitability questions. In addition, the aim is not to replace existing tenants or displace successful businesses but to build on what works and fix what doesn't.

At this stage the conversation is a very open one. What can we do with these spaces that would benefit the Metro, local businesses and communities? Could we do something at Four Lane Ends that creates a new model for reapplication elsewhere?

Speakers will include senior commercial and operational staff from Nexus (the Metro operator). The aim is to bring together thinking from different domains, including local communities and businesses around Four Lane Ends, and come up with new ideas we might develop together.

Photo: "Bus station alongside the Metro Station" by Andrew Curtis, 2015 (Creative Commons License)

About the venue

You can find further details about this venue here.