The toucan crossing connects the new upcoming St Cloud Way development on the former Magnet Leisure Centre and Ten Pin Bowling sites, as well as other properties north of St Cloud Way, with the town centre by providing a link between Holmanleaze and the Hines Meadow car park. This will help benefit existing communities.

The project forms another part of the Royal Borough of Windsor & Maidenhead's investment into active travel and healthy travel choices in Maidenhead, encouraging walking and cycling to and from the town centre.

The crossing replaces the footbridge over St Cloud Way, which was demolished last year, and provides a convenient access to the town as well as another option for walkers and cyclists using the recently completed Missing Links route at nearby Town Moor. The current subway under St Cloud Way remains in use.

Resurfacing work was also carried out on this section of St Cloud Way as part of the project.

Councillor Geoff Hill, Cabinet Member for Highways and Transport, said: “I’m pleased to see work on this crossing completed and walkers and cyclists using this important link. I’m sure it will be a welcome improvement for both groups. 

“Creating safer and more convenient walking and cycling routes, empowering more people to reduce their reliance on vehicles for short journeys where possible, not only supports our work to address climate change, but gives our residents the facilities to improve their health and wellbeing. Along with the final phase of the new Missing Links route at Town Moor nearby, which was completed earlier this year, these are both crucial parts of our major strategic investment into active travel and healthy travel choices in Maidenhead.

“Work to create this new crossing has been undertaken in a matter of weeks, and I’d like to thank officers and our contractor VolkerHighways for planning and completing this work in a relatively short space of time, while working hard to minimise disruption as far as possible on a well-used route for motorists.”

Kunle Kolaru, Operations Director for VolkerHighways, said: “We are always pleased to be as flexible as possible to accommodate the needs and priorities of the Royal Borough of Windsor & Maidenhead. In this instance, we were asked to accelerate our programme of work within a tight construction window, which we were able to achieve quickly, safely and to a high-quality standard, to the benefit of all road users.”