The Tees Valley Combined Authority (TVCA) has announced the closure of Middlesbrough’s walking and cycling hub at the Cleveland Centre, with the site shutting for good on Tuesday 28 July 2026. The move forms part of a wider reorganisation of active travel provision across the five Tees Valley local authority areas.
Regional pause while a new provider is appointed
TVCA has confirmed that walking and cycling hubs in Stockton and Hartlepool will close temporarily and are expected to reopen as bases for an incoming provider. Active travel services at all locations will be paused from Thursday 30 July 2026 while a transition to the new operator takes place. TVCA says a new operator has been selected, subject to final contract approvals, and is expected to be appointed by late August 2026.
- Middlesbrough (Cleveland Centre): closing permanently on 28 July 2026.
- Stockton: hub closing temporarily; indoor cycle parking closing permanently on 29 July 2026.
- Hartlepool: hub closing temporarily and expected to reopen as an operational base for the new provider.
The closure of the Cleveland Centre hub will be particularly noticeable locally because the Middlesbrough facility had previously been granted a short extension after an earlier decision to axe the site. That extension runs until the end of July, and the authority’s latest announcement restores the initial plan to remove the Middlesbrough hub from the network.
Local reaction and political concern
Local politicians have voiced objection. Stockton North Labour MP Chris McDonald described the outcome as the “wrong decision for Teesside”, arguing that the Stockton hub had built a “loyal” community and warning against treating active travel as an afterthought in transport strategy.
“Cycling and walking deserve to be at the heart of our transport strategy, not treated as an afterthought.”
TVCA acknowledged that the changes may be “disappointing for some residents and partners” and framed the revised approach as a move to a different delivery model intended to provide outreach-based services across the whole Tees Valley once the new provider is in place.
What this means for Middlesbrough residents
Residents who used the Cleveland Centre hub for cycle hire, training, repairs or community outreach will need to find alternative provision during the pause. The authority’s plan indicates services will resume in a different format once the new contractor begins, but details of the outreach model and how it will be staffed or where services will be delivered have not been published in full.
| Location | Immediate change | Key date |
|---|---|---|
| Middlesbrough (Cleveland Centre) | Closing permanently | 28 July 2026 |
| Stockton | Temporary hub closure; indoor cycle parking closing permanently | Cycle parking closes 29 July 2026; services paused 30 July 2026 |
| Hartlepool | Temporary hub closure; to reopen as base for new provider | Services paused 30 July 2026; new provision expected late August |
For residents and community groups, the loss of a permanent hub in Middlesbrough raises questions about access to practical services — such as cycle maintenance, structured training and indoor facilities — provided locally in recent years. The TVCA timetable suggests a short period without regional active travel services while contract approvals are finalised and the new provider mobilises.
Further information has been limited to the authority’s statement and the timetable for appointment of the new operator. Local users of the Cleveland Centre hub and groups who worked with the site will now need clarity from TVCA on how outreach services will replace the fixed-location offer and when specific activities will restart in Middlesbrough and across Tees Valley.
