Works to create a new safe route for pedestrians and cyclists at Norwood Bridge in March are substantially complete and the road re-opens tonight at 7pm.

The footpath will be fully operational for the weekend.

County council leader Steve Count, who as a March councillor has fought for the improvements, visited the scheme today with town mayor and fellow councillor Jan French.

Temporary traffic signals will remain in place until traffic signals are commissioned on Tuesday.

“This commissioning is completed at the signals controller unit and shouldn’t require any form of traffic management,” said a council spokesman.

Completion brings to an end a seven year campaign to build a new footpath and cycleway on an ‘extremely dangerous’ road in March.

Cllr Count first began work in 2011 to secure council ownership of the strip of wasteland which runs alongside the bridge.

In April this year, the land was successfully purchased from Network Rail, and funding agreed for the design and build of a new footpath and cycleway over the railway bridge.

Cllr Count said: “This has been an extremely dangerous area as we have got a blind bend and a curve going up hill so this has been really important to get a footpath here.”

“I’ve known people who do not want to walk down here due to safety but this will make it more user-friendly.”

Adam Cobb, project manager for Cambridgeshire County Council, said that around £230,000 of project funding was agreed for the development and design for the work.

“This has been an interesting and complex job,” he said.

“Residents will have a brilliant facility and will be able to utilise the new footway and have a safe passage.

“It will link up the missing piece of the jigsaw from Norwood Road to the business development.”