en.Wedoany.com Reported - National Highways has invested over £1.3 million to upgrade sections at both ends of the Sea to Sea path, a project carried out by the Walk Wheel Cycle Trust.
In the northwest, £525,000 has been invested in the path between Whitehaven and Cleator Moor, including resurfacing, removal of metal barriers, and installation of new signage. At the other end of the route in Sunderland, £750,000 has been used to resurface the path and improve drainage in areas prone to waterlogging, which previously made the path impassable; National Highways has also installed retaining walls and widened the path to improve accessibility.
These projects are part of a nationwide effort to improve the National Cycle Network; since 2020, National Highways has invested over £80 million in Active Travel projects to strengthen connections, making it easier for people to walk, use wheelchairs, or cycle, separated from motor vehicle traffic. The new surfaces are suitable for wheelchairs, pushchairs, and mobility scooters; the removal of barriers makes passage easier for pedestrians, mobility aid users, and cyclists. Drainage improvements have also addressed issues of standing water and flooding.
Freda Rashdi, Head of Customer Journeys at National Highways, stated that the improvements on such an iconic route will benefit a wide range of people with different needs, and expressed pride in using Designated Funds to invest in the environment and communities near the roads.
The Walk Wheel Cycle Trust (formerly Sustrans) is a charity dedicated to making it easier for everyone to walk, use wheelchairs, or cycle. Carole Patrick, Director of the National Cycle Network at the trust, said the Sea to Sea path is one of the most popular routes on the National Cycle Network, with traffic-free sections providing peaceful green spaces; thanks to these improvements, the path is now more accessible for everyone, whether walking, using a wheelchair, pushing a pushchair, or cycling, also offering healthier and more affordable options for local travel.
National Highways manages four Designated Funds aimed at delivering additional benefits beyond building, maintaining, and operating England's strategic roads, with the goal of making a positive difference to people's lives by protecting the environment, improving the landscape around roads, enhancing safety, reducing congestion, supporting communities, and assisting innovation and research.
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