FAQs

Redcar & Cleveland Borough Council and Tees Valley Combined Authority are working together to improve connectivity between Guisborough and Nunthorpe Railway Station. This fully accessible route will connect the two towns via Guisborough Forest & Woodland Walkway Visitor Centre. 

It is hoped that the route will encourage more people to and from the train station in Nunthorpe, commute to work and travel to school using more sustainable modes of travel. The route will provide clear signage where necessary and improve safety at key junctions for those scooting, wheeling, walking or cycling. 

The route forms part of a wider regeneration scheme for Guisborough. Following successful bid by Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council; the funding has come from a grant from the Government's treasury.  

Improved safety: A safer travel route for children to and from school in the area via sustainable transport. We will also improve junctions and crossings, allowing users to feel safe and confident along the route.  

Improved Connectivity: The route addresses connectivity issues between Guisborough and Nunthorpe, particularly to the train station, providing better connections for onward travel across the region to Darlington, York, Leeds etc. The route will also offer enhanced and better-connected routes through the North Yorkshire Moors National Park and towards Middlesbrough and the coastal towns of Whitby, Redcar and Scarborough. 

 Health and Wellbeing: The route promotes physical activity and provides clear health benefits by encouraging active modes of travel such as walking and cycling.  We know that exercise is good for the heart, bones and joints. It has also been shown to improve mental health, helping to reduce anxiety and depression whilst also improving sleep.  

 Access to Outdoor Attractions and Local Businesses: The route enhances accessibility to outdoor attractions, including the Guisborough Forest Walkway and North York Moors National Park, as well as local businesses in the area. This encourages people to use these spaces and support local business owners. Once opened, the new route may encourage cyclists from outside the area to travel to Nunthorpe and Guisborough. This will increase footfall on the high street and potentially boost the local economy. 

Additionally, the active travel route will help reduce transport emissions by promoting walking, cycling, and other outdoor travel modes. 

Construction work on the Guisborough Active Travel Route is anticipated to begin in Spring 2025 and last for approximately 12 months. All works are proposed to be completed by 31 March 2026.

Yes, the project also involves the Tees Valley Combined Authority.  The Authority is responsible for delivering the Nunthorpe Active Travel route, which aims to improve connectivity between Nunthorpe Railway Station and Guisborough.   

To learn more about this section of the project, please visit Guisborough to Nunthorpe Connectivity - Tees Valley (teesvalley-ca.gov.uk) or contact the Tees Valley Combined Authority by email consultations@teesvalley-ca.gov.uk.

We understand our responsibility to ensure everyone can enjoy accessing the route and are designing with inclusivity in mind. Therefore, we will do all we can to develop a route that adheres to best practices and takes onboard design guidance from Active Travel England. We will also develop a range of informative guides and signage to help ensure that everyone who accesses the route does so responsibly and respectfully.

Using unsealed surfacing, such as the proposed whinstone for the branch walkway, will help mitigate cycle speeds and provide a rural feel that is in keeping with the surroundings. 

We intend to develop a range of informative guides and signage to encourage responsible and respectful use of the active travel route.

We are designing the route with safety at the heart. This means we are looking at speeds of road traffic and cyclists, we will be developing a variety of crossing types in accordance with Active Travel England design guidelines, including signalised toucan crossings in key locations with the goal of making these safer, particularly for children. Where necessary, we will provide signage so people do not need to navigate the route using smart phone devices, meaning they can just focus on cycling or wheeling the route. Additionally, the Council is investigating options to lower speed limits on Stokesley Road from 40mph to 30mph where the road narrows.

The Public Engagement exercise highlighted two key areas of concern: the narrow cut-through at Lyndale and the lack of connectivity along Stokesley Road. Following this feedback the route has been amended to follow Stokesley Road.

We are not proposing any changes to the existing pedestrian access from Lyndale to the Branch Walkway. This existing access is highlighted on the route map to show possible connections with the new proposed active travel route.

The council is investigating options to reduce speed limits on a small section of Stokesley Road, where the road narrows just after / before the junction with the A173.

Yes, safe crossings are being proposed along the route.  We will be developing a variety of crossing types in accordance with Active Travel England design guidelines, including proposed signalised toucan crossings in key locations.

Toucan crossings are light-controlled crossings that provide a dedicated space for wheelers, cyclists, and pedestrians to cross a road whilst traffic is stopped safely.  This type of crossing is push-button operated. Pedestrians and cyclists will see the green signal together, and cyclists are allowed to cycle across the road.

Concerns surrounding anti-social behaviour along the route emerged during the Public Engagement exercise, with many suggesting that barriers could be used to prevent motorbike and quad-bike access.  We are working closely with the police to ensure we can provide a safe and secure active travel route, which will benefit all potential users, whilst maintaining the safety of residents in the area. However, an active travel route must be accessible to all potential users, including wheelchairs, pushchairs, and hand cycles. Therefore, we are considering a design that prevents quad bikes, whilst minimising the impact on users of the Branch Walkway, including horse riders.

Under the current proposals, we anticipate limited impact on local traffic. The new proposed crossings along the route will hold traffic for a brief amount of time and we are therefore not expecting any significant delays.

We propose resurfacing the section of the Branch Walkway that the route will travel along, using ‘whinstone dust’ construction, an unbound surfacing with a dust finish that is often associated with rural woodland pathways. We are proposing to have slopes either side of the area resurfaced to allow for water to run off and avoid standing water building on this section of the route.

We know the Branch Walkway has many equestrian users and have considered this when designing the route. Horse riders will still be able to access and use the Branch Walkway as they do currently.

The proposed surface solution of whinstone dust along the Branch Walkway will provide horse riders with a solid, flat surface that is less impactful on a horse’s hooves while offering improved drainage along the route.

ntroducing the new route requires extensive design to ensure safety and accessibility. Additionally, public consultation is required to help us deliver an active travel route that works for Guisborough and can provide for the community

These crossing points are aimed at slowing traffic down without impacting traffic flow, whilst allowing a safe crossing for pedestrians, wheelers and cyclists.

Yes, all crossing points will have tactile paving.   This paving material will help visually impaired individuals identify when they are at the crossing and cross the junction/road safely. A range of options will also be considered at controlled crossings to ensure accessibility.

Construction work on the Guisborough Active Travel Route is anticipated to begin before Spring 2026 and last for approximately 12 months. All works are proposed to be completed by 31 March 2027.

Introducing the new route requires extensive design to ensure safety and accessibility. Additionally, public consultation is required to help us deliver an active travel route that works for Guisborough and can provide for the community.