Northumberland active travel corridor progress update

Northumberland County Council has shared an update on the construction of the active travel corridor in the Tyne Valley.

The county council successfully secured £14.7m from the previous UK Government’s Levelling Up Fund to upgrade active travel routes in both Bedlington and between Corbridge and Hexham.

The funding is ringfenced for active travel schemes and can't be used for other projects.

It's hoped the route will improve local connections within Hexham and encourage active travel trips between Hexham and Corbridge.

It will largely follow the A695 between the two town’s train stations forming connections with the hospital and the school.  

The route is a mix of shared and segregated pedestrian and cyclist usage and some short connecting paths.

Several new crossings will be installed, along with an improved pedestrian junction at the Peth Head/Dene Street junction, plus speed limit changes and traffic calming measures. 

In a Facebook post, the council shared the latest progress on the active travel route.

Teams have:

• Cleared large sections on the north side coming into Hexham
• Laid the foundations for the new footways and cycleways
• Installed dropped crossings with tactile paving for blind and partially sighted users
• Put in new lighting along the route
• Installed new drainage channels to improve areas prone to intermittent flooding
• Put in new accessible bus stops
• Installed new parking laybys

The council said: "We're really keen to open sections up to the public, but to maximise efficiencies and to ensure a nice new smooth surface is achieved, we're holding off on the final surface dressing so that it can be done in one long section. This is expected to take place in May/June.

"Construction on Phase 2 towards Corbridge is expected to get underway this summer. Further drop-in sessions will be organised before we start," the council added.