A popular route along the side of the River Ribble at Broadgate has reopened after more than three and a half years of closure.
Work began in late 2022 on the Riverside stretch as part of the Preston and South Ribble flood defence scheme.
Constant delays have hampered works on the stretch running from South Meadow Lane by the Continental through to the Miller Gardens apartments.
Read more: Cricket club prepares to return home after flood defence works disruption
But as of Thursday (16 April) the footpath and the short stretch of South Meadow Lane by the pub and Mini Centre have fully reopened.
The Environment Agency confirmed to Blog Preston all closures have been lifted meaning pedestrians and cyclists can cut along the side of the river once again to and from Broadgate and Miller Park.
Works on the Riverside section over-ran by more than 18 months with engineers blaming ‘riverbank conditions’ being more troublesome than thought for piling techniques which had to be changed up.
Costing more than £54million the flood defence scheme has run all the way from the bottom end of Broadgate, and on the Penwortham side, up to Miller Park.
Last year a new entrance area and flood gates were installed at Miller Park itself.
The Continental and Mini Centre have complained of major disruption throughout the works as well as the temporary road, put in place to connect the businesses and the Miller Gardens apartments from South Meadow Lane, being below standard.
All roads and works in the Broadgate and Riverside area are now complete and the Environment Agency is preparing to begin works at Walton-le-Dale for the second stage of the scheme which is expected to last through until 2028.
But it faces a campaign by those living in the Victoria Road area over plans to fell lime trees, known as the Royal Limes, on the banks of the River Ribble.
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