First part of £11m cycle and walking path opens

When finished, the coastal route will link Tynemouth and Whitley Bay

The first section of a new £11m cycle and pedestrian lane has opened.

The five-mile (8km) Seafront Sustainable Route will eventually run from Tynemouth to Whitley Bay.

The work has been funded by Active Travel England and the cycling group Sustrans, with the whole route due to be open by 2025 .

Diane Attersall, who is looking forward to cycling on the path, said: "I like the safety aspect of it, that you're separated from the traffic by that small wall."

Dame Norma Redfern claimed the scheme has made everyone happy

North Tyneside Mayor Dame Norma Redfern said: "It's a project that has created a special space for every group."

"The drivers are happy, the cyclists are happy, and the pedestrians are happy because they can walk without worrying about being pushed over."

But Conservative Councillor Lewis Bartoli believes the changes will leave visitors unable to park and residents stuck in traffic.

He said: "We've now got a one-way system nobody wanted.

"I think, on the balance of everything, it was still a terrible idea."

The whole route is projected to be open by 2025

A six-week public consultation in 2021 recorded more than 11,000 comments, of which 6,965 were in favour.

More than 50 doctors and nurses signed a letter in the same year supporting the cycle lane on health and environmental grounds.

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