A new footpath and small footbridge have been built on Earnscleugh Road, near the Clyde Bridge, providing a safe passage for pedestrians and cyclists away from a busy and narrow section road.

The work was initiated by a petition from Clyde Primary School pupils presented to Council in December 2019. 

A group of students, supported by staff and parents, cycled in to a Council meeting to deliver a petition signed by 175 people. 

The group expressed their concerns and called for a reduced speed limit on the section of road to make it safer, especially for Earnscleugh students making their way to and from school.

Speed validation will be undertaken as part of an upcoming speed limit review later this year, with a view to extending the 50km limit to Picnic Creek, but the new path offers a more immediate measure to improve safety.

Dunstan High School Year 9 student Zavier Robb (who was part of the Clyde School group who came to speak to Council back in late 2019) met with Central Otago Mayor Tim Cadogan this week to check out the new path and says it was “pretty cool to see the track in now”.

“It’s great that the young ones came forward and said ‘Here’s a problem’ because if people don’t tell us we don’t know about it,” Mayor Tim says.

“When myself and our Roading Manager came out to assess the speed issue ‘on the ground’ and looked at what could be done this path was what resulted.”