Last week I was delighted to open our new active travel bridge at Newport railway station.

Long in the planning, the new bridge replaces the old subway, providing a safer, more accessible linking route across the main railway line.

Having this safer link, one which connects our communities with the city centre, is something that our residents have made clear they wanted when responding to our active travel consultations.

I’m therefore very pleased that we have been able to deliver this project for them, a project which is helping to build a more ambitious, fairer, greener Newport for everyone.

Fairer because the bridge gives everyone a safer route across the main line into the city centre.

Greener because it will hopefully encourage people to choose active travel options when travelling to and from the city centre. The design of the bridge also promotes sustainability by incorporating a sustainable drainage system, which captures rainwater and directs it to the new planting beds which have been installed in the plaza on Queensway.

And ambitious because it is another step in delivering our wider regeneration plans for the city.

We have made excellent progress on several key projects including the refurbishment of the historic Market Arcade and indoor market - both of which have helped transform the northern end of the city centre.

The refurbishment of the former Post Office sorting building on Mill Street is underway and will deliver flexible commercial space which has become even more accessible as a result of the new bridge.

And Tramshed Tech are also due to take up space in the former Information Station building, providing a tech hub where new tech businesses will be supported and established right in the heart of the city.

Finally, I was also very pleased that we were able to include so many young people in the launch event, with pupils from four local primary schools joining us. They will always be able to say that they were among the first people to cross the bridge!

The bridge, like our other active travel routes such as Gaer Fort and Coed Melyn, will benefit not only this generation, but future generations to come. The work we do today will shape the Newport they inherit, and we want that to be one where choosing active travel and public transport is easy and straightforward.

We have many active travel routes already in place across the city, and with the nights getting lighter and the weather (hopefully) getting nicer, I’d encourage everyone to get out and see what’s available on their doorstep.