Is Tynedale the best place to cycle in England? It could be with the launch of the Tynedale Cycling Strategy 2025-2030.
Over 20 organisations have come together to design a bold new plan to encourage more people to cycle in Tynedale. Launched on 17th November 2025, the Tynedale Cycling Strategy 2025-2030 aligns with Northumberland County Council’s Our Way Strategy and the North East Combined Authority’s Active Travel Strategy and aims to foster greater collaboration, unlock funding, share resources, and accelerate project delivery for cycling across the area.
United by the belief that collaboration can drive rapid growth in cycling and lay the foundations for change across Northumberland and beyond – and with the endorsement of several county councillors –numerous experts, volunteer groups, charities, businesses and public sector institutions came together at a Tynedale Cycling Summit in 2024 to identify opportunities to encourage more people to ride bikes.
Three key themes emerged from the Summit: improving infrastructure, enhancing skills and telling the story, leading to the development of the Tynedale Cycling Strategy 2025-2030 after extensive stakeholder consultations during 2025.
The Strategy aims to provide a clear statement of intent, highlight existing cycling activity to key decision makers, improve collaboration and resource sharing among delivery partners,build a robust evidence base for future activities and joint funding bids, address challenges and barriers to cycling developments, secure public sector support and inform decision-making.
The team behind the Strategy – headed up by Rob Aubroook (Cycling Tynedale), Claire Blake (WATBike), Toby Price (Cycling Minds at Hextol Foundation) and David Dixon (Tynedale Bicycle Mayor) – also believe it could serve as a pilot for similar approaches across the North East.
“Our aim from the beginning was to unite all the volunteers, charities and businesses in Tynedale who are already delivering some brilliant cycling projects so they can collaborate to achieve a true step-change in the number of people cycling in Tynedale,” commented Rob Aubrook.
“By 2030, our goal is that more people will be physically active and enjoying the health benefits that cycling provides, while cycling will be established as an important sector of the visitor economy.”
Key actions in the Strategy include developing a Tynedale Cycling Superhighway by stitching together existing or planned cycle routes including the Hexham to Corbridge section that is currently under construction, opening community cycle hubs in Hexham and Haltwhistle, and expanding the current network of e-bike charging points, bike storage, and repair stands.
These infrastructure developments will be accompanied by actions to enhance residents’ skills including more bike maintenance and cycling proficiency classes, annual community cycling events and supported e-bike and accessible bike rides.
To raise awareness of all that Tynedale has to offer local cyclists and tourists alike, the team also plan to create a Cycling in Tynedale website and social media presence, launch “Dark Skies by Bike” and “Beautiful Tynedale Rides” marketing campaigns, and roll out a network of cycling information points.
All this work, is expected to enhance community health and wellbeing, generate more revenue and jobs for the area by growing cycle tourism, and lead to safer, more accessible cycling routes that will encourage cycling over car use, thereby reducing emissions.
Deputy Leader of Northumberland County Council Richard Wearmouth said: “We enjoy a great working relationships with volunteers and businesses in Tynedale. We already collaborate to provide a cargo bike in Hexham, encourage the uptake of accessible cycling with Wheels for All sessions at the Wentworth Leisure Centre and we are working to provide the active travel route between Hexham and Corbridge. We welcome the publication of the Tynedale Cycling Strategy and look forward to an ongoing dialogue regarding its aims and objectives.”
Championed by public institutions and energised by local activism and business support, the Strategy has the potential to rapidly improve delivery and increase opportunities for cycling development, feeding into local and regional active travel plans. Immediate assistance from key regional institutions including Northumberland County Council and the North East Combined Authority is essential to turn this vision into reality, and the team’s focus will now turn to securing this support and funding to implement their action plan.
For more information or to get involved in implementing the Strategy, please contact the Tynedale Cycling Strategy Steering Group: tynedalecycling@gmail.com.
