Great North Cycleway

The route is for cyclists of all abilities from beginner to advanced, for everything from commuting to leisure cycling. It combines existing and new routes, and includes upgraded facilities along its length.

The route

In Durham, 35.5km of the route runs through Chester-le-Street, Chester Moor, Plawsworth, Pity Me, Framwellgate Moor, Crossgate Moor, Neville's Cross, Croxdale, Thinford, Dean Bank, Chilton, Rushyford, Woodham, Newton Aycliffe and Aycliffe Village, roughly following the A167.

Where there are low pedestrian numbers between towns, the route will be a shared use path. This will be a 3m wide surface where space allows. At busier locations or where more suitable, the route will be segregated or on-road.

Improvements in County Durham

We are aware that some sections of the route need improving, and we are developing the route in stages as funding becomes available.

A167 Merryoaks to the Cock of the North Roundabout

This section was originally built in 1936, when any new major roads had to include cycling facilities. A ceremony was held in March 2019 to celebrate its history and officially re-open it. We have upgraded the dedicated cycle lane, bringing it up to a modern standard with new surfacing and signage. We have also closed a layby and rededicated the route to cyclists. In addition to the works on the cycle route we have also improved the links for pedestrians to public transport, with new crossing points and larger waiting areas.

Special thanks on the launch of this section to: Cllr Peter Brooks, Living Streets, E-Bike Store Durham, Breeze Durham, Carlton Reid - Lost Cycleways, Vintage Cycle Club, Recykle Y'Bike Durham, Durham City Cycling Forum and Soreen

Great North Cycleway transcript (PDF, 109.5kb)

Future work

The whole route within County Durham is currently under review and a report is being prepared to assess the existing sections against current government standards for cycling infrastructure which will help us identify parts of the route in need of improvement and determine a plan for completing the remaining sections. More information will be available in 2024.