where can I cycle?

You can cycle on almost any road (except motorways) as well as cycle paths, bridleways and shared-use pavements. Use your common sense and avoid busy junctions, large roundabouts and dual carriageways if you are not confident using them.

Quiet roads and cycle paths are ideal, but remember that cycling on the pavement is illegal unless it has been officially converted to shared-use (shown by a blue circular sign with a bike and pedestrians on it).

Maps and Journey Planner

There is a set of 6 cycle route maps covering all of Tyne and Wear and South East Northumberland. The maps are free and available from local libraries and tourist information centres. Alternatively contact your council’s cycling officer (see below) who will post you one.

You can also download the maps from our Library by clicking this link.

There is now a new Cycling Journey Planner for the UK, which will give you an advisory cycle route between two points.  Please bear in mind that it is being improved during the course of 2011.

You can also download the Rights of Way map for Tyne and Wear, which includes off-road routes that might be useful for your journey, or just for some weekend fun! Just remember that you can’t legally cycle on Public Footpaths.

More information

For more information you can contact the following Council officers who deal with cycling:

                    
Links and advice

Sustrans - the UK’s leading sustainable travel charity
Cyclists’ Touring Club - the UK’s national cyclist organisation. Membership includes a useful 3rd-party insurance cover.
British Cycling to meet other cyclists.
Bikebudi is a free site which aims to match you up with other people cycling your way.
WhyCycle for Impartial cycling advice aimed particularly at beginners.
Bike For All for more advice on buying a bike.
Cycling England is the body which promotes cycling in England, distributes grants and help to set technical standards.
Salary Sacrifice bike purchase schemes, and further information.