A SECTION of cyclepath between Bradford and Shipley dubbed "the missing link" by the Council and branded a "standing joke" by local residents is now open for use.

Construction work on the Canal Road Greenway is now almost complete, with cyclists and pedestrians now able to enjoy a continuous, traffic-free route between Bradford city centre and the Aire Valley.

Although the route is open, there is still work going on to complete the project, such as fencing, signage, topsoiling, and seeding the verges.

The so-called "missing link" on the Greenway - which runs between Carnegie Drive in Shipley, to Stanley Road, near Arnold Laver in Canal Road - was a section running through old allotments between Poplar Road and Gaisby Lane.

Work on the project started in 2013, but stalled when contaminated ground was found in the old allotments on the proposed route.

The Greenway was subsequently altered to avoid any of the affected areas, with the contamination left undisturbed and sealed into the ground to mitigate any risks to people using the new path, or to the nearby Bradford Beck.

Further funding was required to allow the alterations to take place, but the section near to Carnegie Drive has now been cleaned up, with pot holes repaired and barriers repositioned to make access easier.

What remained of the former allotment site has now been fenced off, and damaged Ginkgo trees alongside Gaisby Lane have been replaced, with new fencing erected to protect them.

The £260,000 scheme, a partnership between Bradford Council and the cycling charity Sustrans, forms part of the National Cycle Route 66, which also includes the Spen Valley Greenway, Airedale Greenway, and the Leeds and Liverpool Canal.

Councillor Val Slater, Bradford Council's executive member for transport, said the Greenway would provide a safe route for cyclists from Shipley to Bradford city centre, and Sustrans said it looked forward to working with the authority to develop similar routes in the future.

Keen cyclist Rhys Stead, 41, who has lived on Poplar Crescent, Shipley, for the past ten years, contacted the Telegraph & Argus in November last year to say residents had been left "disillusioned" by the lack of progress with the scheme.

He said cyclists and walkers had been mystified when they found the path coming to an abrupt end near to his home, forcing them to turn back.

"It looks far better now, and I have already seen cyclists and runners using the path," he said.

"It's really positive for the area, and nice to see it finally completed.

"It's great that there is now a route right through from Bradford to Shipley and Saltaire.

"Lots of families will use the route, as it provides a safe option away from the roads.

"The fact the work has now been done will be really appreciated by the local community."