Residents feel unsafe cycling on Darlington roads, council warned

Councillors shared concerns from residents across the borough and questioned the usage of the current cycle paths. 

Work is ongoing to create a safe walking and cycling route from the town centre to West Park and Faverdale.

The first phase included making improvements to Duke Street and creating a cycle route along part of Woodland Road. A further phase to continue the active travel route through Cockerton to the Brinkburn Road junction will be developed later in 2026. 

Councillor Paul Walters, Conservative member for Hurworth, said: “I think it’s a great initiative – but my concern is, how are you going to get people out of their cars and onto their bikes? I have been on Duke Street many times and have not seen a bike on that cycle path. 

“It’s a great idea and wonderful initiative, but getting the public to use them is something that needs to be looked into.”

The comments were made during a debate on how active travel measures are being implemented across the town to encourage people to be less reliant on car travel.

Conservative councillor Pauline Culley, of Mowden ward, spoke of her previous experience cycling around Europe and said Darlington roads are not suitable for cycling. 

“We seem to be spending a lot of money on something people are not going to use,” she told the committee. 

Matthew Snedker, Green councillor for College ward, said Culley’s testimony was a “damning indictment” for Darlington’s infrastructure. He added: “The fact that many people in Darlington do not feel safe doing a completely normal thing cuts to the heart of why our low network isn’t serving more people.”

Darlington Borough Council said it aims to create a safe route for pedestrians and cyclists as part of the Tees Valley Combined Authority’s (TVCA) Tees Valley local cycling and walking infrastructure plan.

But Cllr James Coe, Independent for North Road, reported how the current cycle paths take people “to a dead end” and not where they want to go. 

He added: “Once we start connecting these areas up, it will encourage more people to use it.”

Anthony Hewitt, assistant director of highways and capital projects, admitted the council needs to improve the public’s perception of cycling throughout the borough. 

He told the committee: “We agree we need to do a lot more work to promote the cycle lanes. Hopefully, as active travel neighbourhoods and our network builds out, people can see more connectivity.”

Monitors are in place along Duke Street and Woodland Road to track the number of cyclists, the council said.