These paths provide a much-improved sustainable and active travel route from the Square, along the south-west side of Upper Gardens to the entrance on Prince of Wales Road.

A small section between Queens Road and Prince of Wales Road still needs it final top coating of asphalt, but it is open and safe to cycle and walk on. This short stretch should be finished off in the spring.

The new route forms part of a 14km sustainable travel route which is being built from Bournemouth Centre to Ferndown.

It has been funded by the south east Dorset Transforming Cities Fund (TCF) programme, which is creating a 78km network of new cycle and walking routes, bus infrastructure improvements and end of trip facilities for schools and businesses across the region.

All sections of the improved cycle and walking route have been excavated, re-built and re-surfaced and a new wall constructed alongside the tennis courts. As well as the new paths, the work also included improved signage and better night-time lighting, improving safety after dark.

Great care was taken to protect trees and their root systems during the excavation of the old path surface. The renovations employed an advanced system called Cellweb, which forms part of the route’s foundations and is laid under the new base and asphalt surface layers. This protects and encourages the tree’s root systems by allowing water and vital nutrients to permeate through the surface and trickle down into the soil.

“This is a lovely route through our beautiful gardens and with its new surface it looks like a real joy to cycle and walk along,” said Councillor Mike Greene, BCP Council’s portfolio holder for transport and sustainability “The more of these sustainable travel routes that we can complete, the greater the incentive for people to leave their cars at home, particularly for the shorter journeys, and to take up more healthy, greener forms of travel such as cycling, walking and scooting. In this way we can lower the number of cars on our roads and free up the congestion, making travel easier and quicker for those that still need to drive.”

Local cyclist commuter Peter Brown said: “I cycle on this path to get to work every week and am really pleased with the improvements that have been put in place. It’s a much smoother ride, and the enhanced lighting also really makes a difference.”