A NEW pavement and street lighting have now been installed along Harbour Road in Lydney, making it easier for visitors to access the site.

The works were the final phase of the Destination Lydney Harbour project to turn the site into a recreation and tourist destination for visitors and the local community.

The district council posted photos of the new pathway and the resurfaced Harbour Road to its Facebook page last week.

Many commented on the post to praise the improved pedestrian access as well as the resurfacing, with the road having been in a poor state for some time.

One user commented: “I always said you could buy a pint of milk at the top of the road, and have cheese at the bottom of the road.”

Another said: “This is excellent. All it needs now is a bus service to connect it to the town.”

A third commented: “Great job. The road is 100 per cent better as well, no more potholes and great access for pedestrians”.

The road was resurfaced by Gloucestershire Highways at the end of last year as part of the district council-led project, which has been funded by a £2.1 million grant from the government’s Coastal Communities fund along with council resources.

The project began in 2019, and has seen a new information hub, public toilets, cafe and heritage art trail open at the site in the three years since.

Works have also included the planting of 150 trees along Harbour Road and the addition of planters at the harbour to improve the appearance and biodiversity of the site, as well as the installation of bespoke ornate railings outside listed buildings near the railway station.

The Hips Harbourside Cafe operated by Lydney’s Hips Social has proved a popular addition to the site since it opened in December 2021, while the heritage art trail titled ‘From the Forest to the Sea’ is also bringing more visitors to the harbour.

Back in November, the project received a prestigoius award for “outstanding contribution” to the county from the Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE).

The CPRE Gloucestershire Award is made to initaitives which aim to protect and regenerate the area for the benefit of the community.

A special wall plaque and certificates were presented to project leader Rose Farrington, Forest Council regeneration officer Richard Morgan and cabinet member for economy Cllr Bernie O’Neill at an awards ceremony in Highnam.