The first section of the North South Link Road at Parklands Village in Locking, Weston, is now open.

The new road from the A371 to the junction with Russell Road will provide access to the Flowerdown estate and the new Parklands Educate Together Primary School which opened in September.

The McCrae Road and Cranwell Road connection from the Locking Parklands site to the link road is expected to be completed in the coming weeks.

The newly-opened road is part of the 2km North South Link Road which, when complete, will run from the A371 at Locking to the A370 at West Wick roundabout near Morrisons.

It will provide the main bus, cycle and pedestrian route through Parklands Village and is intended to become the 'high street' for the new community.

Executive member for planning and transport, Cllr James Tonkin, said: “Opening this first stretch of the link road will improve access to the new school and for Flowerdown residents to their homes,

"It marks the latest step in creating a vibrant new sustainable community at Parklands Village. Over the next 10 years, approaching 4,000 new homes and more than 5,000 new jobs will be created at Parklands - playing a vital role in our drive to stimulate growth in the area."

The northern part of the road linking to the West Wick roundabout is due to be built by Mead Developments.

North Somerset Council is responsible for constructing the southern and central part of the link road across land owned by the council and Homes England. The council awarded the £13million contract to build this part of the road to Balfour Beatty and it is due to be completed in the spring.

Construction work has involved traffic management measures on the A371, including temporary 40 and 30mph speed limits and two temporary crossing points directing pedestrians and cyclists around the works.

These crossings will be replaced by a fully signalised crossing at the new junction with the A371 and the council is looking at putting in place permanent speed limits by the end of January.