A pedestrian underpass which contractors for Surrey County Council (SCC) started digging 18 months ago is finally going to be completed next week.

Plans were made to knock down the old bridge and open a subway connecting Stones Road with Blenheim Road in Epsom after the walk way was condemned as unsafe two years ago.

Work began in September 2010 to create a new pedestrian subway but ground to a halt shortly after because of a catalogue of problems.

First, a landowner withdrew permission to access the site, then the council ran out of money from that year's budget.

And the discovery of the protected Great Crested Newt caused further delays.

Children needing to cross the railway line to get to Blenheim High School, Epsom Primary and Epsom Nursery have had to use Hook Road, extending their journeys to and from school.

However contractors have finally announced that they will finish on February 10.

Liberal Democrat Councillor, Alison Kelly for town ward said: "Though re-opening this link is not 100 per cent popular with some residents who live very close, I've had people continually asking for progress reports and parents keen to see the link re-opened so that their children can use it as a route to school."

After its completion, SCC is expected to vacate an adjacent disused allotment site opening up the possibility of it being brought back into use as allotments.

A spokesperson for Surrey County Council said: “We are at an advanced stage of construction and expect the subway to be complete at the beginning of February."