Anyone out there commute newcastle on Tyne to Nissan - poss route advice wanted...

[TonyEnjoyD]

Hi
I may be starting at Nissan in the next week and if so, by march i'd like to start cycling in, but I'm not sure if the best route insofar as the reasons and suitability with either of my bikes.
I'm near the Freeman so would cross Tyne via the Tyne bridge, but from there to Heworth, would I go thru Gateshead then along the old Sunderland apRoad, or via the Riverside route.?

 

[gazza_d]

From the Tyne bridge, the route I would go is
Gateshead high street then pick up cycle path alongside A184 once under the flyover
Either turn off and head south on lingey lane then follingsby lane to join the A1290 just north of Nissan.
Once you get onto lingey lane its road to Nissan, but follingsby is normally quietish but can get idiots trying to ratrun

If you want traffic free, continue along the A184 past whitemare pool which take you all the way past testos to boldon where you can head south down the bridleway to the A1290 then into Nissan. The path alongside the A184 is slightly narrow but perfectly usable.
The bridleway between the A184 and A1290 is currently closed until early Jan at least though. The only diversion is into east boldon and along downhill lane.

There's probably not much difference in terms of mileage between the 2 routes

 

[gazza_d]

Oh and don't go the riverside route following ncn14 as it's a bit "scenic" and not really a commuting route. The cycleway alongside the A184 is OK.

 

[TonyEnjoyD]

That's excellent @gazza_d , I'm pretty much ok with traffic so the Lingey Lane and follingsby lane routes look fine, just lots of hi vis and lights. A decent 20 mile round trip, 100 a week so good for my fitness.
Last February through march I was commuting to Washington via the old Durham road, that climb from Gateshead to the QE was a real beatch, but clocking 30-35mph on the return was niiice