Popular walking and cycling path "(almost) inaccessible to motorists" blocked by crashed car

This was the scene on the tranquil Derwent Walk cycling and walking route yesterday in County Durham, an off-road path "(almost) inaccessible" to vehicles, one person sharing the photos joked.

What's more, it is the second time in two months that the path has been blocked at the same point by a crashed car — after a similar incident back in May, the Google Maps street view images from the month, of the damaged wall on the road above, evidence of a previous smash.

[B6309 May 2023: Google Maps]

This latest incident, reported in the Chronicle and widely on local community social media pages, happened in the early hours of Saturday morning (1 July) and saw a silver Volkswagen Golf, with both airbags deployed, on its side on the path.

The local press reports a sign in the window stated that police were aware of the incident and that a recovery operation would be undertaken. Durham Police confirmed that they were alerted to the crash at 3am and nobody was injured.

Back in May, locals reported a driver had crashed a car off the B6309 at the same spot, opposite The Derwent Walk pub at Ebchester, with oil left over the road and reports that again fortunately nobody had been seriously injured.

[Iain Bridge/Facebook]

Residents have raised concerns about dangerous driving on the bank, the road that passes over the path is a 40mph route and plummets down a steep hill, a bend leading to the bridge opposite the pub where both incidents happened.

The photo was shared on Twitter with the caption: "This is the Derwent Walk, a shared walking and cycling facility and (almost) totally inaccessible to motorists."

Dan Brothwell of the SHIFT scheme and chair of Bike Worcester saying, "I mean, there's parking in cycleways, and then..." It also attracted numerous rather predictable shouts of... 'You can't park there, mate!'

Active Travel Campaigners “Let’s create safe cycling infrastructure so more people can get around without the constant fear of being killed by drivers.”

Drivers: “Hold my beer.” https://t.co/9xKP9XkDpw

— Tree Sturgeon 🚵🔥🌍 (@philsturgeon) July 1, 2023

The 12-mile-long path between Consett and Swalwell follows the railway path and includes the Consett to Sunderland cycle route, most of the Walk following National Cycle Network route 14, continuing to the River Tyne to join the Keelman's Way at Blaydon.