Improvements to NCN Route 54 in Derby

View looking upstream towards Darley Park from beneath Causey Bridge.

Derby City Council have announced that the boardwalk, which runs alongside the River Derwent between Causey Bridge (which carries the Inner Ring Road) and St. Mary's Bridge, is to be refurbished and that the existing route will be diverted during the next few weeks whilst the work is carried out.
For safety reasons a guard rail will be added, as has already been done beneath Causey Bridge, and there will be improvements to benches and bollards in the area.
We hope to see the graffiti, which is really bad in this area, removed, and that the new benches will incorporate anti-dossing features.

Right is a view looking towards the Silk Mill and shows the appalling graffiti which must be some of the worst in Derby. Fortunately the Streetpride organisation are very good at removing it and perhaps we should have called them in long ago.
Note the guard rail which has been installed on this section recently to prevent people cycling into the river. Don't know if this ever happened, but there used to be a bike visible on the river bed at one time. No sign of it's rider however.
Picture below shows why we need benches with anti-dossing features ie with arms in the centre so that dossers cannot lie down on the seat.
I have no problem with people having a sleep, but I wish that they wouldn't do it on our cycle path.

A sad sight.