Durham County Council is starting the final phase of work near Aykley Heads and County Hall to complete a project aimed at improving the city’s active travel infrastructure.
The scheme is being delivered as part of the North East Local Transport Plan, with funding provided through the North East Combined Authority for the latest phase of work.
The project has received £1m from the government’s Transforming Cities Fund (TCF) to deliver a shared use cycling and pedestrian route from Aykley Heads roundabout to County Hall. This is part of a £2.8m allocation for walking and cycling improvements in Durham City from the TCF.
Cllr Lyndsey Fox, Cabinet member for economy and partnerships, said: “The improvements we are delivering are all about enhancing walking and cycling access between key employment sites around Aykley Heads, such as the hospital, Land Registry and council offices; and the train station, city centre and wider walking, wheeling and cycling network around Durham.
“The improvements will help people traveling between the city, station, and major employment sites to do so safely and without adding to congestion along this busy route.”
The last phase of work involves the stretch of the B6532 between Aykley Heads roundabout and County Hall and aims to upgrade footpaths to support shared pedestrian and cycle use, including by widening of existing footpaths.
It includes upgrades to existing traffic light-controlled crossing points between County Hall and the University Hospital of North Durham and improvements to street lighting.
The work starts on 23 June and is expected to last 10 weeks, with a current scheduled end date of 29 August.
The final phase of the work will be carried out with the northbound lane of the B6532 closed in the interests of public safety, and the southbound lane maintained for the duration of activity. A contraflow arrangement will be in place to the north section of the B6532 at Dryburn Road.
Some footpath closures will also be required, though diversions will be in place.
Buses will be diverted along Southfield Way (the A691) and all businesses in the area will remain open during the works and diversions for vehicular traffic and pedestrians and cyclists will be indicated by signs.
