A railway crossing in Christchurch will become safer for pedestrians and cyclists after city councillors approved a $2.7 million plan to upgrade Scruttons Rd.

The work in Ferrymead will support the Heathcote Expressway Major Cycleway, which connects Heathcote Valley with the central city via Woolston and Waltham.

Two new sections of shared path will be installed to link the double-gated pedestrian and cyclist crossing at the railway line.

While Scruttons Rd is classified as a low-volume road for vehicles, the railway line between the Waltham rail depot and Lyttelton Port is the busiest section of track in the South Island, averaging about 35-40 movements a day.

The crossing upgrades are needed to comply with safety requirements.

Following the decision last week, city council staff will now proceed with construction.

The final cost is significantly lower than the original $7.2m estimate.

City councillors were told in March to expect significant savings after KiwiRail agreed to reduce the scope of the project to “only what is necessary” and combine the works with a KiwiRail-funded project on nearby Chapmans Rd.