A £1 million scheme to create a boardwalk along the River Itchen in Southampton has been given the go-ahead.

The five-year project will eventually mean a traffic-free link to the city centre, enabling thousands of people to walk or cycle to school and work.

The boardwalk will run down the west side of the river, parallel to the railway from St Denys station to the Northam Bridge.

The scheme has been proposed by Sustrans Connect2, a transport charity aiming to increase the number of pedestrian and cycle paths across the UK.

The walkway, set to open in October 2009, will have views of the estuary into Southampton Water as well as being an access route to the city centre.

The scheme is being funded by Southampton City Council and Sustrans.

Sustrans is revitalising 79 walkways and paths across the UK after winning a public vote in December 2007 by the Big Lottery Fund, securing £50 million funding.

Councillor Matt Dean, cabinet member for environment and transport, said: “This boardwalk will help to open up our waterfront to the public, while providing an essential link for walkers and cyclists alike.”

Simon Pratt, Sustrans’ regional director, said: “In this era of rising fuel prices and concerns about the health of people and our environment, enabling more journeys to be made by foot and bike can only benefit our community.”