A NEW £550,000 safe cycle route has been opened, running alongside the busy A351 at Wareham.

The path, which is shared by pedestrians and cyclists, runs from Wareham’s busy railway station to the roundabout close to Sandford St Martin’s Primary School.

The project was designed and built by Dorset County Council in a number of phases through the spring and summer. Sustrans, the sustainable travel charity, has worked with pupils and teachers to encourage use of the path.

“It is wonderful local children now have a safe and traffic free route to travel to school,” said Cllr Peter Finney, Dorset County Council’s cabinet member for environment and the economy.

“I look forward to future phases being delivered to complete a safe route all the way from Upton and Lytchett Minster to Wareham.”

Linking residents to the town, the pathway is part of a long-term project to help reduce road congestion on the A351 by encouraging more people to stay fit and healthy through outdoor exercise.

Cllr Beryl Ezzard, county councillor for Wareham said: “I’m delighted the new path through Sandford is now open. This new path provides a superb resource for the community especially for children to travel to school.”

This 1.8 km section of pathway cost £550,000 and was funded by contributions from residential development in Purbeck, the Department for Transport’s Cycle Safety Fund and Dorset County Council.