Pedestrians and cyclists can now make use of a new crossing at Quarter Bridge, which gives safer access the old railway line to Peel.

The Toucan crossing on the New Castletown Road by the Quarterbridge pub opened for public use on Tuesday.

All road users are asked to approach the new crossing and new set of traffic signal with care by the Department of Infrastructure.

The Toucan crossing is aimed to improve the health and safety of residents and visitors to the Isle of Man while using the heritage trail, which follows the route of the old steam railway line from Douglas to Peel.

It is part of the government’s commitment to the Active Travel Strategy, which aims to see more than 20% of people travelling ’actively’ (i.e by bicycle or on foot and not in cars or buses) by 2021.

The government has worked with UK charity Sustrans , which aims to make ’active travelling’ easier for people, on the £3.8million plan.