Construction work on the second phase of a walking and cycling scheme in Darlington is due to get under way on Monday at Dene Grove, after delays from last year.
The latest stage involves extending the existing route on Woodland Road from the Hollyhurst Road junction to Deneside Road, near Tennis Dene. New priority crossings will be introduced on side roads.
Darlington Council said it would try to keep disruption to a minimum, but temporary traffic lights, junction closures and pavement diversions will be required. Work will be carried out in phases to reduce disruption, and two-way traffic will be maintained where possible.
Part of longer-term plans
When complete, the walking and cycling route will link West Park and Faverdale with the town centre. The full project is expected to be completed in 2027.
The scheme has faced delays since wider proposals for the route were first unveiled in January 2022. Plans initially stalled after Darlington Council failed to secure funding through the Conservative government's Levelling Up Fund in 2023, raising uncertainty over whether the scheme would proceed. Council officials said in August 2025 that the second stage work would start later in the year, but it was delayed.
Libby McCollom, the council's cabinet member for local services, said: "It will make it safer and easier for people to use more sustainable modes of transport, which will benefit not only their health but also the wider environment. It will also help to connect our communities by giving one safe, accessible route from West Park to the town centre."
