WORK to create a riverside walkway on the east side of Newport is finally complete after years of delay.

The walkway now runs the length of the east side of the River Usk creating an easy route for walkers and cyclists from Town Bridge to lower Corporation Road, Lliswerry.

Local councillor John Richards welcomed the news after four years of campaigning for developers to finish the work they started.

Cllr Richards, who regularly cycles the route, said: “It’s a bit of self indulgence for me, I have been in the council raising this issue for fours years about developers leaving it incomplete.

“People are always complaining about lack of progress in the city centre redevelopment but this is a very important part of the infrastructure.

“I see it as a major achievement - it’s not a big building, but it’s a key part of making Newport better and more accessible.”

The project suffered a number of set backs over the years caused by some developers going bust, while others simply failed to complete their section after they had finished their homes.

In a bid to rectify the problem Cllr Richards, who sits on the council’s planning committee, called for conditions to be put in place on planning applications along the stretch of the river, to ensure developers completed their sections before they finished their developments.

A council officer was also given the task of chasing up any firms which had neglected to complete their part of the project.