Fresh graffiti covers part of the underpass wall just days after it was repainted
Residents using the pedestrian underpass beneath the A1, which connects Newcastle Great Park with Red House Farm, have been left with a disappointing sight after fresh graffiti appeared on its walls barely a week after the passage was repainted.
The underpass, an important walking route between Great Park and the neighbouring Red House Farm estate, had recently undergone repainting, giving its interior a noticeably cleaner and brighter appearance.
However, photographs taken on Sunday 18 October 2026 reveal that the newly painted walls have already been defaced with large, colourful graffiti markings.
The damage is particularly frustrating given that the area had been freshly painted less than two weeks earlier.
The Great Park Gazette has now raised the incident with Newcastle's EPiC team, asking whether they can provide support in addressing the latest graffiti and the continuing problem of vandalism around the underpass.
Fresh paint ruined in little over a week
Photographs taken on Friday 9 October show the underpass following its recent repainting.
The walls alongside the pedestrian walkway appeared clean, with the fresh paint helping brighten a passage that can otherwise appear dark beneath the busy A1.
However, a second set of photographs taken just nine days later, on Sunday 18 October, reveals a very different scene.
Large graffiti markings, featuring bright green, orange and red paint alongside a white and yellow design, now cover a prominent section of the previously clean wall.
Additional graffiti and markings can also be seen on other parts of the structure, highlighting the wider problem of graffiti affecting the underpass.
The precise time the latest markings appeared has not been established, and it is not known who was responsible.
Nevertheless, the photographs clearly demonstrate how quickly the appearance of the newly painted walkway has changed.
For those who use the route regularly, it is disappointing to see improvements to a shared public space undermined so soon after the work was completed.
The A1 underpass connecting Great Park and Red House Farm pictured on 9 October, following its recent repainting
An important connection between Great Park and Red House Farm
The underpass provides a pedestrian connection beneath the A1 between Newcastle Great Park and Red House Farm.
It allows people to travel between the two communities without having to cross the busy A1 above.
For residents walking between neighbourhoods, exercising, walking their dogs or accessing nearby green spaces, routes such as this form an important part of the local pedestrian network.
Maintaining these connections is about more than simply keeping their surfaces clean.
Well-maintained and welcoming public routes can encourage walking, support access between communities and help residents feel more comfortable using shared spaces.
Underpasses can be particularly sensitive to issues such as graffiti, litter and poor maintenance because of their enclosed nature and reduced natural light.
The recent repainting was therefore a welcome improvement to the appearance of the passage.
Unfortunately, the new graffiti means that part of that improvement has already been lost.
Great Park Gazette raises concerns with EPiC team
Following the discovery of the latest graffiti, the Great Park Gazette has reported the incident to the EPiC team, asking whether the partnership can help address the problem and support efforts to prevent further vandalism.
EPiC stands for Empowering People in Communities and is a multi-agency initiative involving Northumbria Police, Newcastle City Council and partner organisations.
In February 2026, a new team known as EPiC NOW was launched to focus on the North and Outer West areas of Newcastle.
The initiative brings council and police representatives together to identify crime trends, tackle anti-social behaviour and work with communities on problems affecting their neighbourhoods.
The Gazette has raised concerns not only about this latest incident but also about the ongoing problem of graffiti within the A1 underpass.
The hope is that the team may be able to assist in identifying the appropriate organisations to address the problem and explore whether further preventative measures could help.
These might include greater monitoring, community engagement or coordination with the organisations responsible for maintaining the structure.
No specific action or intervention has yet been confirmed by the EPiC team in response to the Gazette's report.
Who is responsible for removing the graffiti?
One issue that may need clarification is responsibility for maintaining the underpass and removing graffiti from its walls.
The structure sits beneath the A1, which forms part of the strategic road network maintained by National Highways.
However, the precise maintenance responsibility for the underpass walls and pedestrian walkway has not yet been established.
Newcastle City Council explains that it is responsible for removing graffiti from its own buildings and structures, while graffiti on property maintained by other organisations should generally be referred to the relevant owner.
This distinction is important because arranging removal can depend on identifying the organisation responsible for the affected surface.
The Great Park Gazette hopes that raising the issue with EPiC will help establish the appropriate route for addressing the latest damage.
Residents can find further guidance on [Newcastle City Council's graffiti reporting page](https://newcastle.gov.uk/services/environment-and-waste/street-care-and-cleansing/graffiti).
Do you know who was responsible?
Anyone who witnessed suspicious activity near the underpass, saw somebody applying graffiti or has information about the latest incident is encouraged to report it to Northumbria Police.
Even seemingly minor details could prove useful, particularly given the relatively short period between the photographs showing the clean wall and the discovery of the new markings.
Residents who may have relevant information are encouraged to:
- Contact Northumbria Police on 101 if they witnessed the incident or have information about those responsible.
- Report information online through [Northumbria Police's official website](https://www.northumbria.police.uk/).
- Preserve any photographs, videos or other evidence showing suspicious activity, including the date and approximate time it was recorded.
- Contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111, or through [www.crimestoppers-uk.org](https://crimestoppers-uk.org/), if they do not wish to identify themselves.
- Call 999 if a crime is taking place and immediate police assistance is required.
Anyone with information should pass it directly to the appropriate authorities rather than publicly naming or accusing individuals on social media.
Residents should not confront anybody suspected of causing the damage or put themselves at risk attempting to intervene.
Unauthorised graffiti can constitute criminal damage under the Criminal Damage Act 1971.
A wider issue affecting public spaces
Unfortunately, graffiti and vandalism are not problems unique to Newcastle Great Park.
Across Newcastle, the council and police have undertaken various initiatives aimed at improving public spaces and reducing anti-social behaviour.
Newcastle City Council has previously invested in additional graffiti removal teams, while community safety partnerships have worked to address recurring problems in different parts of the city.
The council has also supported projects transforming underpasses through approved public artwork, demonstrating how neglected spaces can be made more attractive through positive community involvement.
However, there is an important difference between artwork created with permission and graffiti placed on public or private property without authorisation.
The latter can undermine efforts to maintain neighbourhoods and lead to additional work and expense for whoever is responsible for cleaning or repainting the affected surfaces.
When graffiti reappears within days of repainting, it raises understandable questions about whether cleaning alone is enough to address a recurring problem.
Long-term solutions may also require preventative measures, community involvement and cooperation between the relevant organisations.
A wider view of the A1 underpass showing the graffiti discovered on 18 October 2026
Keeping our shared spaces welcoming
Newcastle Great Park and its neighbouring communities benefit from a network of pedestrian routes, green spaces and connections that residents use every day.
Keeping these areas clean, attractive and accessible is in everyone's interests.
The recent repainting of the A1 underpass demonstrated that efforts were being made to improve its appearance.
To see new graffiti appear so quickly afterwards is disappointing, particularly when the work had only recently been completed.
While the identity of those responsible remains unknown, the latest incident highlights the importance of protecting shared spaces and ensuring that improvements can be maintained.
The Great Park Gazette hopes the EPiC team and the relevant maintenance authorities will be able to help address the latest damage and consider what can be done about the recurring graffiti problem.
We will continue to follow the matter and share any further developments.
In the meantime, residents who witnessed anything suspicious or have relevant information are encouraged to report it through the appropriate channels.
Our shared public spaces deserve to be looked after, and improvements should last longer than a matter of days.
In pictures: Before and after the graffiti appeared
Photographs taken on 9 October and 18 October 2026 show the difference in the appearance of the A1 pedestrian underpass following its recent repainting and the subsequent graffiti.
The images highlight how quickly the newly painted wall was defaced.
Photographs: Great Park Gazette, October 2026.
Sources and further information
- [Northumbria Police – EPiC NOW team launched to tackle crime in North and Outer West Newcastle](https://www.northumbria.police.uk/news/northumbria/news/gateshead-and-newcastle/EPIC-NOW-Newcastle/)
- [Newcastle City Council – Graffiti reporting and removal](https://newcastle.gov.uk/services/environment-and-waste/street-care-and-cleansing/graffiti)
- [Northumbria Police – Report vandalism or graffiti](https://www.northumbria.police.uk/contact/af/contact-us-beta/contact-us/report-crime-incident-suspicion/report-vandalism-graffiti/)
- [Crimestoppers – Report information anonymously](https://crimestoppers-uk.org/give-information)
- Great Park Gazette photographs dated 9 and 18 October 2026.
