IMPROVEMENT and resurfacing work is set to begin on a footpath which runs along Ditchling Road.

A total of £300,000 has been allocated from Brighton and Hove City Council’s Carbon Neutral Fund to upgrade the 2km stretch of footpath.

Installed in 2014, the footpath runs between Woodbourne Avenue and Coldean Lane.

The new three metre wide surface will be flat and smooth, suitable for walking, cycling and by people using wheelchairs, mobility scooters, adapted cycles and pushchairs, according to the council.

Dropped kerbs at either end of the footpath will also be widened.

The resurfacing is expected to take approximately five months to complete, during which time the path will need to be closed.

During this time, there will be temporary traffic lights on Ditchling Road and a reduction in the speed limit.

The Argus: Ditchling Road footpath set for £300,000 resurfacing upgrade in BrightonDitchling Road footpath set for £300,000 resurfacing upgrade in Brighton

"This may also lead to delays on the road and motorists may wish to use alternative routes,” a council spokeswoman said.

Councillor Steve Davis, co-chairman of the Environment, Transport and Sustainability committee, said: “This is great news for people who use this path. I’m especially pleased that a new smoother surface will make it accessible for everyone.

“The work again shows our commitment to providing people in Brighton & Hove with safe, accessible and sustainable travel routes across the city.

“By giving residents and visitors the right infrastructure, we can encourage them to make healthy travel choices that reduce the need for car journeys and cut toxic emissions. This type of work is essential to meet our goal of carbon neutrality by 2030.”

The work is similar to that undertaken last year to improve the footpath running alongside Falmer Road.

In July 2021, councillors agreed to allocate money from the council’s Carbon Neutral Fund to a number of transport projects and programmes.

This included infrastructure projects to expand zero emission transport and road, footpath and pavement improvements.