A coastal cycle route, improved city centre connections, and safer routes around North East schools have been backed with an £18.6 million transport cash boost. Mayor Kim McGuinness and council leaders signed off new funding on Tuesday for a series of measures aimed at making it easier for people to walk and cycle.
Seafront cycling corridor
The biggest of those is the proposed seafront cycling corridor, which would provide a connection all the way from Blyth into Whitley Bay. After the cost of the A193 project jumped from £9.7 million to £13.5 million, the mayor’s office has now agreed to provide an enhanced allocation of £11.7 million to pay for the bulk of the scheme.
The seafront cycle route will provide a segregated space for walking, cycling and wheeling between Blyth and Old Hartley and has been enhanced with an extension towards Seaton Delaval Hall, an active travel link to Seaton Sluice Middle School, and upgrades to public toilets.
Sunderland city centre upgrades
Further plans approved at the North East mayoral authority cabinet meeting in Chester-le-Street on Tuesday include £4.5 million for a set of active travel upgrades in the heart of Sunderland. That scheme is intended to enhance connections between St Peter’s Metro Station, the city centre and the Stadium of Light, through new crossing points, better links to nearby streets such as North Bridge Street, and improved walking and cycling routes along Dame Dorothy Street.
Other projects
A further £103,000 has been set aside to reopen a closed section of the Bowes Railway Path, meaning walkers will not have to take a 1.25 mile diversion from the popular route linking Kibblesworth to Birtley. And £2.25 million will also be allocated to safety measures outside 16 schools across Newcastle, North Tyneside, and South Tyneside.
Mark Mitchell, the deputy leader of Newcastle City Council, told Tuesday’s meeting that the school projects were “exactly the kind of thing that has a direct impact on communities”. He added: “Safe journeys to school are one of the key things that get people out of cars and onto different forms of transport.”
Ms McGuinness said: “This is about getting children to school safely and that is something we cannot underestimate. Every child deserves the right to be able to walk or cycle or get to school as safely as possible.”
