Residents of Corbridge, a hamlet with Roman origins, are urging Northumberland County Council to suspend plans to install a cycle lane on the Grade-II listed Dilston Bridge. The council intends to reduce the bridge’s two-lane traffic flow to a single lane, install traffic lights on either side, and allocate the newly-created space for the cycle path as part of a broader walking and cycling route between Hexham and Corbridge, funded by the government’s Levelling Up Fund.

Local campaigners argue that the proposed changes risk “urbanising” and altering the character of the village, potentially causing congestion by creating a traffic bottleneck. They contend that a heritage consultation should be conducted, asserting that the number of listed buildings in the vicinity, near Hadrian’s Wall, necessitates listed building consent. In contrast, the council maintains that listed building status does not encompass the “character or setting” of a structure and that the active travel scheme falls under Permitted Development rules. The council further emphasizes its government-mandated obligation to prioritize active travel initiatives to enhance public health and reduce pollution. ¹

Footnotes

1. Yahoo News. (n.d.). Calls to halt cycle bridge plan in Roman village. https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/calls-halt-cycle-bridge-plan-072636542.html ↩

This is a summary. Read the original at yahoo.com.