Cyclists will have to wait until autumn before work starts on the proposed cycle lane between St Mary's lighthouse and Tynemouth along the North Tyneside coast.
North Tyneside Council has now secured £4.5m from central Government and cycling organisation Sustrans to construct the 8km cycle route. The works will be carried out in three stages with the first connecting Tynemouth and Longsands.
Phase two will connect St Mary's to Whitley Bay and phase three will join the exisiting routes in Cullercoats by summer 2024.
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Whitley Bay councillor John O'Shea said: "This issue has been ongoing and it is all around getting sufficient funds. So, I am really pleased the funding has been sourced and we can go ahead with the coastal cycle lane.
"Hopefully, this will gain lots of support from local residents and from people from further afield."
According to North Tyneside Council, two-way traffic flows will be maintained between Whitley Bay and Tynemouth. The council has also stated that the money is also ringfenced and therefore cannot be spent on other projects.
The route aims to improve cycling connections to North Shields town centre and will "complete", says the local authority, recent coastal renovations including the Promenade, the Spanish City, and the demolition or refurbishing of vacant buildings along the coast.
It is hoped the new lane will also contribute to the local authority's 2030 carbon net-zero target and encourage sustainable travel by the coast.
Council documents stated: "Further engagement on the proposed Sea Front Sustainable Route will be carried out this Spring".
In February 2023, 54 retired and current medical professionals, including GPs, doctors, and nurses, wrote a joint letter to North Tyneside Council urging the organisation to begin work on the lane as quickly as possible. The NHS staff claimed the scheme is vital for the environmental as well as the physical and mental health of the community.
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