The unpopular Linthorpe Road cycle lane is set to become a step closer to being removed, depending on a vote of the Middlesbrough Executive next week.

Middlesbrough Council Executive will be voting on whether to approve the “proposed design submitted by Tees Valley Combined Authority (TVCA) for the Linthorpe Road Cycle Lane”, which will allow more progress towards its removal.

Last month, Middlesbrough Mayor Chris Cooke and Tees Valley Mayor Ben Houchen entered a war of words about who was responsible for holding up the removal of the Linthorpe Road cycle lane. Mayor Houchen said that the TVCA would pay for the changes and that the money “was available and signed off” whilst Mayor Cooke argued that “proper assurances” were still needed that TVCA would “pay in full for its removal”.

During the October spat, the Middlesbrough mayor asserted that “for weeks, we have been awaiting the sign off of the funding agreement” and that his council were following “correct process”, whilst the Tees Valley mayor was of the belief that Middlesbrough Council needed to first finalise the scheme and publish the traffic regulation order, only then could the business case be finalised and the money could be unlocked.

In a TVCA document that gave answers to questions from the public, for the Transport Committee on November 22, 2024, it said: “Once [Middlesbrough] Council confirms that the scheme has been approved, TVCA can finalise the business case. The business case will then be subject to approval through the TVCA Assurance Framework.”

“Providing the business case is approved, TVCA will be able to release the funding to deliver the scheme. The timeframe for delivery will be confirmed in due course,” the document explained.

The other proposed decision for the Middlesbrough Executive is to “agree a further report will be brought to the Executive, following a final, funded proposal from TVCA.”

Mayor Cooke commented to the Local Democracy Reporting Service. The Middlesbrough Mayor said: “As a council, we’ve got it to a point where we are ready to hand over to TVCA, following that Executive decision, should it be approved. I’m biased, I already want it removed, so my vote is my vote. But the rest of the Executive, I expect them to read the decision fully and vote as they feel.”

Mayor Houchen said: “We’ve always been clear: we would fully fund the work to ensure this happens, and this decision is the next step in allowing us to finally get on with the job of removing this hated cycle lane.”

He added: “It is my sincere hope that the council now does the right thing, signs it off, and ends this ridiculous saga once and for all. The people and businesses of Middlesbrough deserve better than these drawn-out delays.”