A THIRTY-metre bridge linking Burrator to Princetown along the old railway track bed is soon to be officially opened to the public.

Peek Hill Bridge was installed between Dousland and Princetown on the B3212 in April and sits on the site of a dismantled railway arch bridge.

The £350,000 scheme, carried out by South West Highways (SWH), was part of the wider 'Granite and Gears Project' to improve access for cyclists on to Dartmoor.

The project, a partnership led by Devon County Council and Dartmoor National Park Authority in conjunction with Maristowe Estate, which owns the land, was awarded £4.4-million funding from the Department for Transport's (DfT) Linking Communities Fund in 2013.

The aim of the project was to enable more people to travel to and around the national park by bike, relying less on the car and benefitting rural and local businesses through visits to local bike shops, cafés and pubs.

Cllr Stuart Hughes, Devon County Council cabinet member with responsibility for cycling, said: 'This is another important link in our growing network of multi-use trails right across the county and an excellent addition to the infrastructure being developed through the Granite and Gears project to improve access to Dartmoor.

'The bridge offers spectacular views over the Walkham Valley and out to the Bere Peninsula and on a clear day it's possible to see the National Cycle Network Route 27 structures, Magpie Viaduct and Gem Bridge, in the distance.

'It is anticipated that work on the Peek Hill bridge scheme will be complete by the end of May, land agreements permitting. As part of the wider Granite and Gears project, four bridges to the north of the site have been upgraded with new parapets and fencing and three timber bridges will also be replaced in the coming months.'

The project was also supported with an additional £3-million from Local Transport Plan funding, Section 106 money and contributions from Devon County Council, Dartmoor National Park, West Devon Borough Council and Teignbridge District Council.

Andrew Watson, head of recreation, access and estates for the national park, said that the authority worked with Devon County Council on the design and planning consents for the bridge, which would 'greatly improve' the crossing of the B3212.

'Until now, cyclists and walkers had to negotiate steep steps/bank before crossing a busy road, so to improve the crossing here has been a longstanding aspiration for the authority.

'We expect that the route improvements will provide a boost to tourism and that more people can experience the fantastic landscape by bike, visit Princetown and boost the economy for the area.'

Mr Watson added: 'The authority is working in partnership with Devon County Council, district councils and other stakeholders to deliver cycling schemes and improvements that will enable people to access and travel around the Dartmoor National Park by bicycle in a sustainable way.

'The schemes will also directly help to support the rural local economy and tourism through increased visitor spend and promote connections to local communities and surrounding public transport networks.'