Work underway on A690 cycleway

When complete, the cycleway will run along a rural stretch of the A690 Durham Road, starting at the City of Sunderland boundary at East Rainton, and joining the A690 from Old Durham Road along the route ending at the junction of the A19.

Existing road space is being reallocated to allow for full segregation between pedestrians, cyclists and motor vehicles to create more these sustainable transport links whilst also improve road safety for all users.

The route will link on the southern side of the Houghton Interchange at Houghton Road/ Dairy Lane. The cycle lane will continue down the slip road, via an on-carriageway cycle lane segregated from traffic by a buffer strip. Crossing facilities will be upgraded across Hillside Way, where the route will continue through Houghton Cut, terminating at the Interchange with the A19 and City Way.

As part of the plans, improvements will be made to crossing facilities across each slip road, with links to Houghton Town Centre shopping area, which has secure cycle storage

Throughout the work, Sunderland City Council aims to maintain two-way vehicle flow on the A690 to reduce the impact on motorists.

Deputy Leader of Sunderland City Council and Cabinet Member for Environment and Transport, Councillor Claire Rowntree said: "It's great to see work start on this new cycle route, which will make it easier for residents to choose healthy and sustainable modes of transport like cycling, supporting the council's commitment to create a healthier and greener city."

The work is anticipated to be complete by Spring 2023.

Funding for the delivery of the project was secured from the Department for Transport, the Transforming Cities Fund.