Work to provide a new cycleway between Bluntisham and Earith has started.

With work already under way to complete the final phase of Needingworth to Bluntishman Route 12 cycleway, additional work to extend and improve the cycleway further along the A1123 through Bluntisham to Earith started on Monday.

The work will focus on widening the existing footway between the two villages so it can be shared between cyclists and pedestrians and four new pedestrian and cycle islands through Bluntisham to provide new crossing points.

The work, which is scheduled to take up to 16 weeks, was allocated a total of £1.5 million to complete, which has been provided by the Department of Transport.

To minimise disruption, Cambridgeshire County Council has said the installation of a new foot and cycle bridge on the Needingworth to Bluntisham Route 12 cycleway, along with additional maintenance and major resurfacing work along the A1123, will be carried out at the same time.

There may be some disruption in these areas as Station Road and Rectory Road in Bluntisham will require temporary traffic lights between 8am and 6pm and will be manually controlled during peak times.

Overnight road closures are scheduled from March 12-23 between 8.30pm and 6am to complete the major carriageway resurfacing work.

Cambridgeshire County Council’s chairman of the highways and community infrastructure committee, Councillor Mathew Shuter said: “The improved cycleway will bring exciting benefits to the community. It will reduce traffic and promote a healthy lifestyle by encouraging people to cycle and walk.”

Cambridgeshire County councillor and local member for Somersham and Earith, Councillor Steve Criswell, said: “This scheme has been a long term aspiration for Bluntisham and Earith Parish Councils. It will provide a safer, more attractive pedestrian and cycle route to help local journeys, as well as linking villages along the A1123 between St Ives and Earith.”