£11m Seafront Route Linking Tynemouth and Whitley Bay Celebrated

Getting along Whitley Bay's seafront on foot, by bike or by wheelchair just became a good deal safer and greener. North Tyneside Council has completed its £11m Seafront Sustainable Route, a five-mile walking, wheeling and cycling link running the length of the coast between Tynemouth and Whitley Bay, and marked the milestone with a two-day launch celebration.

The route stretches from Tynemouth Front Street all the way to St Mary's Lighthouse, and includes a new two-way cycleway, upgraded footpaths, extra crossings and a 20mph speed limit designed to make the coast road easier and safer to share. For residents, it means a continuous, well-lit and accessible way to travel the whole seafront without competing with fast traffic.

The celebrations spread across a weekend in August. On Sunday, volunteers gathered on Longsands beach to help create a large sand mural, and on the Monday the festivities moved to The Links near Spanish City, with BMX stunt shows, adapted cycle sessions and rickshaw rides bringing the new route to life for families.

The scheme is one of the largest active-travel investments the borough has seen. It was delivered by North Tyneside Council with support from Active Travel England and Sustrans, and built by Capita. Beyond the headline figure, its value lies in the everyday: safer school runs along the coast, easier access for wheelchair users and families with buggies, and a genuine alternative to the car for short seafront journeys.

For Whitley Bay specifically, the route knits the town more tightly into the wider coastline, making it simpler to walk or cycle to Cullercoats, Tynemouth and the Longsands, and drawing more passing footfall past the town's cafes, shops and the Spanish City. Coming alongside the beach's retained Blue Flag and the newly approved promenade saunas, it is another sign of sustained investment in the coast.

Full details of the route and its launch are available from the Northumberland Gazette.