Public Urged To Have Say Over Cycling And Walking Route Plans

People from across the Tees Valley are today (20 January) being asked to give their views on plans to boost cycling and walking routes in Darlington and Middlesbrough.

As part of the Tees Valley Mayor and Combined Authority’s plans to improve connectivity in these cleaner and sustainable methods of travel, a public consultation has been launched over the second phases of two key projects supported by £3.7million of funding.

Phase 1 of Darlington’s A68 Woodland Road and Middlesbrough’s Linthorpe Road schemes are currently in delivery and are due to be complete later this year. Darlington’s project will link walking and cycling infrastructure from Darlington Memorial Hospital to Darlington town centre, and Middlesbrough’s will see Borough Road connected to Ayresome Street.

Feedback is now being sought on Phase 2 of the works. In Darlington, this would extend the route from the Memorial Hospital to Deneside Road and, in Middlesbrough, from Ayresome Street to Devonshire/Cumberland Road.

Both projects aim to fill gaps and create further improvements through protected spaces for cyclists on roads, improved road crossings for both cyclists and pedestrians and quieter back streets. They are part of wider plans to develop a high-quality, quick, affordable, reliable, low-carbon and safe transport network for people and freight within, to and from the Tees Valley.

The consultation is live now at teesvalley-ca.gov.uk/consultations and will close at 23:59 on Friday, 11 February.

Councillor Heather Scott, Tees Valley Combined Authority Transport Lead and Leader of Darlington Borough Council, said: “Our research has shown that local people are walking and cycling more than ever, but are crying out for improvements to the routes so that they feel safe and confident in getting about in this way. These are just two projects in a much wider plan to get more people on their bikes out in the fresh air and now I’d call on local people to have their say on this next phase of the schemes.

“There are huge benefits to upgrading our walking and cycling routes, not only to help people get around. They’ll help us meet our net-zero targets, improve air quality and public health, reduce congestion on the roads and help get people travelling through, rather than around, our towns – in turn, boosting business. That’s why we’re investing into this, and other transformational projects.

“We have recently secured £310million so we could go further in redeveloping every aspect of our transport network, including our stations, roads and buses so everyone can get around easily, quickly and smoothly.”