A696 Road (Ponteland, Northumberland)

king_jeffers

Anyone cycle this route? I'm quite new to road cycling and was surprised to find how fast the road was and how little provision is made for cyclists considering it features quite heavily in most locally famed routes. Think I took a few years off my life expectancy with the number of high speed close passes on the route, anyone else have the same problem/experience with this route? Just wondered if it was worth avoiding and sticking to the various b-roads in the area instead.

asprilla

I used to drive it regularly. It's the quickest route from Newcastle to Edinburgh and the fact it, and the A68, littered with speed cameras gives you an indication of how it's used.

trtimothy

personally reckon its ok (I've rode it all the way to the border and back). There's no blind bits so cars are normally ok and there aren't many lorries....also littered with speed cameras, there's only 1 fixed one so wouldn't say its a high speed death trap. Look at the map of fatalities that one of the papers did the other year, there's been no cyclist deaths in last 7 years or so.

But it's really easy to avoid, go Ponteland, Ogle, Belsay for a road that goes parallel. The bit Ponteland to the airport is fine, loads of cyclists use it. At the airport turn left and go into newcastle towards kingston park. Easy quiet road, wouldn't ride the dual carriageway into newcastle however.

trtimothy

PS it wasn't a 1-off riding along it to the border, I tend to use it most weeks. Never had an issue, even riding 2 abreast..

jomoj

Used to drive this a lot - its quite a variable road, wide with good vis in some places, less so in others. Wouldn't be my first choice unless you wanted to get from A to B quickly.

Long_Time_Lurker

Sod that! I avoid all A roads where possible.
But as trtimothy points out, there are routes that avoid that road altogther. I would use them instead.