Campaigners calling for a cycle path between Royston and Cambridge have been boosted by funding to secure part of a proposed highway.

Plans for a £7.2 million cycling ‘super highway’ connecting Royston and Cambridge were put on hold after the Greater Cambridge City Deal executive board decided not to deliver the scheme over the next five years.

But thanks to £2 million worth of funding from the Cycling Ambition Grant, a cycle path between Foxton and Harston has been given the green light.

A10 Corridor Cycling Campaign founder Susan van de Ven said: “I’m pleased to say that the route from Harston to Foxton has now been awarded funding, and work should take place in the coming financial year, which of course is just around the corner.

“In fact you may have noticed that the hedging along the Foxton-Harston stretch of the A10 has already been cut back, to get that job done ahead of nesting season, just in case diggers are ready to put into action.

“No doubt there will be some frustrations while work is carried out, but I hope you will agree that it will be worth it in the long run.”

Meanwhile campaigners will continue their efforts to secure City Deal funding for the Royston to Frog End stretch of the A10.

This route would thread through Melbourn with a path on the east side of the A10 all the way to the A505 roundabout.

Mrs van de Ven said: “It was expected that the Cambridge-Royston corridor would likely be the recipient of a once-in-a-generation slice of funding to create a network of cycle paths that would enable a culture change in the way people get around.

“As it happened none of the rural cycling schemes made it onto the list for current City Deal funding.

“However, the case for the A10 is strong, and county officers included it in a bid for another Department for Transport grant that would cover part of the job.”

The City Deal assembly has recommended that this scheme goes into a reserve list for funding.

The A10 Corridor Cycling Campaigners group is meeting next Thursday at Barrington Village Hall.