Cyclists, roller-bladers and walkers took to the new Beccles Relief Road as part of an event before its official opening.

East Anglian Daily Times: Helpers and visitors took to the new Beccles Southern Relief Road. Picture: Beccles Town CouncilHelpers and visitors took to the new Beccles Southern Relief Road. Picture: Beccles Town Council (Image: Archant)

At an event organised by Beccles mayor, Elfrede Brambley-Crawshaw, the public were invited to explore the new £7m road for two hours on Saturday, September 22.

East Anglian Daily Times: Helpers and visitors took to the new Beccles Southern Relief Road. Picture: Beccles Town CouncilHelpers and visitors took to the new Beccles Southern Relief Road. Picture: Beccles Town Council (Image: Archant)

The once-in-a-lifetime opportunity was taken up by more than 400 people three days before the road officially opens on Tuesday, September 25.

East Anglian Daily Times: Helpers and visitors took to the new Beccles Southern Relief Road. Picture: Beccles Town CouncilHelpers and visitors took to the new Beccles Southern Relief Road. Picture: Beccles Town Council (Image: Archant)

Mrs Brambley-Crawshaw said: “We had at least 400 people and those were just the people we could count.

East Anglian Daily Times: Helpers and visitors took to the new Beccles Southern Relief Road. Picture: Beccles Town CouncilHelpers and visitors took to the new Beccles Southern Relief Road. Picture: Beccles Town Council (Image: Archant)

“The road opening is a really historic occasion for people and they were just pleased to get on and have a go at cycling on it.

East Anglian Daily Times: Helpers and visitors took to the new Beccles Southern Relief Road. Picture: Beccles Town CouncilHelpers and visitors took to the new Beccles Southern Relief Road. Picture: Beccles Town Council (Image: Archant)

“It was so nice because people were just talking and chatting to each other and for the kids to have such a big road to explore was quite exciting.”

East Anglian Daily Times: Helpers and visitors took to the new Beccles Southern Relief Road. Picture: Beccles Town CouncilHelpers and visitors took to the new Beccles Southern Relief Road. Picture: Beccles Town Council (Image: Archant)

She added: “Yesterday the weather was perfect, there was no rain and no wind so it was brilliant.

East Anglian Daily Times: Helpers and visitors took to the new Beccles Southern Relief Road. Picture: Beccles Town CouncilHelpers and visitors took to the new Beccles Southern Relief Road. Picture: Beccles Town Council (Image: Archant)

“Everybody cycled up from the town and I didn’t realise it was international car free day too yesterday.

East Anglian Daily Times: Helpers and visitors took to the new Beccles Southern Relief Road. Picture: Beccles Town CouncilHelpers and visitors took to the new Beccles Southern Relief Road. Picture: Beccles Town Council (Image: Archant)

“M and H Plastics were brilliant because it was technically still a building site so the level of health and safety hoops were quite high which we completely understood but they did all the first aid along with the Beccles fire crew.”

Beccles Town councillors Nicky Elliott, Jula Janney, Graham Elliott, Caroline Topping, Ash Lever, and Gillian Birrell were also in attendance, with many councillors helping as marshals alongside volunteers from members of the public.

Mrs Brambley-Crawshaw praised the cycle path next to the road but said the work to improve traffic in the town would not stop there.

She said: “It is really exciting that the road has got a really high level cycle path because a lot of workers to M and H cycle and there were lots of people who work on those industrial estates and they haven’t had a safe journey for a long time.

“They will be able to come up from Beccles mostly car free and for people to have a look and what facilities are there is great.”

She added: “It is good step forward. My priority as mayor has been that there are other things they need to make it successful such as really good signage.

“Congestion is a real problem and we need to make sure that we can get the real benefits from the road and I am confident that Suffolk County Council will deliver that.”