AN 18-kilometre shared path for pedestrians and cyclists is starting to be built today and will last for 10 weeks.

Buckinghamshire Council has started works on the new path between Berryfields and Buckingham Park developments in Aylesbury.

Works will take place between 7.30am and 5pm and will provide a 1.7km low-traffic, shared use path between the two developments.

It will provide Buckingham Park with a complete traffic greenway to Aylesbury Vale Parkway and then via the Waddesdon Greenway to Waddesdon and the Manor.

Bucks Free Press: Berryfields and Buckingham Park linking path showing the Aylesbury Gardenway and existing pathsBerryfields and Buckingham Park linking path showing the Aylesbury Gardenway and existing paths

The path is part of the Aylesbury Gardenway project.

Once completed, the project will provide walking and cycling routes through landscaped corridors and parks that will make it a pleasure to walk and cycle around the Quarrendon area of northwest Aylesbury.

Peter Martin, Deputy Cabinet Member for Transport, said: “This is an exciting upgrade to the current active travel links between Berryfields and Buckingham Park in the Quarrendon area of northwest Aylesbury. The existing links are prone to flooding and include sections on 50mph roads. Both factors may deter people from walking or cycling along these routes.

“The new pathway will provide a further opportunity for people to go for a walk or cycle in a pleasant environment between Berryfields and Buckingham Park.

“I look forward to using the new greenway once it’s completed in a few weeks' time.”

The project is funded from a budget of £397k which is made up of section 106 contributions, the Aylesbury Land Use and Transportation Strategy (ALUTS) fund, and the Cycle Rail fund.