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The Derby City Greenway project is a capital project funded by Growth Points/6 C's as part of their Green Infrastructure Strategy with the primary objective of improving access to the River Derwent corridor.

The project focuses on the north section of the corridor that runs from Bass's Recreation Ground in Derby city centre to Darley in the north of the city. This is a strategically important part of the corridor as it includes Derby city centre, the World Heritage Site southern gateway and the river Derwent flood corridor.

At present access along the corridor is discontinuous with a number of missing links and in places poor infrastructure that needs upgrading or replacing. This project aims to complete a continuous, accessible and safe pedestrian and cycle route that links residential, employment and recreational areas together within a high quality landscape.

The majority of the work is concentrated on improving the infrastructure of the route by creating new access points, removing pinch points, widening the route and improving safety and accessibility and reducing conflict between cyclists and pedestrians. The project also includes new signage and improvements to the biodiversity along the route through the creation of new habitats and planting of trees and shrubs.

Phase One of the project involved the construction of a resin bound gravel path through Darley Park. This was submitted for planning approval and rejected on 2 occasions in 2010. Phase One was then revised to include improvements to the path along Station Approach into Bass's Recreation Ground, widening of the path along the river at Duke Street with a new access onto Duke Street, new railings under Causey Bridge, replacement of steps from Handyside's Bridge to the riverside path and realignment of the path from Darley Grove to Handyside's Bridge including widening and overlaying the existing stone path with a new tarmac surface. These works were completed in September 2011.

Phase Two of the project comprises further improvement works to the paths at Duke Street and Handyside's Bridge including installation of new steps up onto the Bridge and localised resurfacing of the bridge deck. In addition the boardwalk under and alongside the River at St. Mary's Bridge will be replaced with a similar timber structure and new handrail. A rationalisation of the paths leading from Handyside's Bridge to City Road car park will involve the removal of the footpath along the boundary and the widening of the central footpath, with a new footpath link installed at the base of the slope to connect the footway to the path to Darley Fields.

In an effort to provide an alternative off-road route for cyclists and pedestrians into Darley Fields along the river, it is proposed to widen the existing stone path to 2.4m and lay a new tarmac surface course with the provision of rustic log seating. This will be subject to approval from the Environment Agency and English Heritage. This path would be resurfaced to a point up to the tennis courts and then along the section of path that links the riverside path with the main drive through Darley Fields and the statutory cycle route.

Work on Phase Two of the project will start in early November and finish by late December 2011.