Thousands of people have turned out to witness the reopening of two neglected railway tunnels in the city.
After almost 50 years since they were closed the Two Tunnels Greenway have been officially reopened for cyclists after a £4.3 million renovation project, which has taken seven years to complete.
The Two Tunnels Greenway project, has transformed a four-mile stretch of the former Somerset and Dorset railway line.
The route runs through Linear Park to the disused Devonshire tunnel at Bloomfield and over the renovated Tucking Mill viaduct. The second tunnel at Combe Down is now the longest cycling tunnel in Britain, at just over a mile long.
The project, run by Sustrans and the Two Tunnels Group, working in partnership with Bath and North East Somerset Council, finally creates a safe cycling link between Bath and Midford.
Chairman of the Two Tunnels Group, Frank Tompson, said he never doubted the project would happen.
He said: "I think there were high points and there were low points. We knew we would get there in the end.
"When we started the project we never envisaged it taking seven years. We thought maybe three years but we are there now."
He added: "It will certainly be a huge boost to tourism people will come from all over the country to travel through Britain's largest cycling tunnel.
"Ultimately it will be for the people making everyday journeys from the residential areas."
The project was paid for with a £3.1 million grant from the Big Lottery Fund, £400,00 from B&NES Council,
£500,000 from the Department for Transport and £300,000 from other donations.
Malcolm Shepherd, chief executive of cycling charity Sustrans, which now owns the tunnels and will be responsible for their upkeep said the Two Tunnels had been a challenging project.
He said: "It's got every element of challenge crossing a river, two roads, opening up two tunnels and tidying up a magnificent viaduct.
"It's clearly what people wanted. If you wanted to cycle due south of Bath you couldn't unless you went over a hill - these tunnels had to be opened.
"There is a big question about whether a charity should own big structures but this project wouldn't have happened without Sustrans because local authorities will not take ownership of big structures."
Two of the first cyclists through the tunnels were Oldfield Park Junior School pupils Jamie Gant, 10, and classmate Jake Howard, 10.
Jake said: "It was exciting. We had done the tunnels as a topic at school so we know all about them. It was quite cold riding in the tunnels."
The two friends said they hoped to use the new route to cycle to school.
The Towner family from Freshford cycled through the tunnels soon after they opened. Dan, 36, and wife Claudia, 37, were joined on the cycle ride by there two children Hugh, 7, and three-year-old Helen.
Mr Towner said: "We were just interested. We have been following it for the last few years and now it has finally opened.
"We cycle into Bath from Freshford quite a bit so this will give us an alternative route."
Lorriane and Stephen Finnigan from Combe Down cycled through the tunnels with their two sons Aidan, 9, and Arthur, 6.
Mr Finnigan said: "We thought it was very good - darker than expected you need your lights - but very good.
"Bath already has some very good tracks around but this will make access easier.
John Sawyer, 66, and Tim Hughes, 68, were both firemen on the Somerset and Dorset Railway and used to travel through the tunnels on steam engines before they were closed in 1966.
Mr Hughes said" "Personally I'm really pleased they are open again and use is being made of them after all the hard work that was put into building them in the first place."
Mr Sawyer added: "It's another chapter in the history of the Somerset and Dorset Railway."
Olympic gold medallist Amy Williams MBE helped to open the tunnels by unveiling a portrait bench of herself, World War One veteran Harry Patch and a Roman solider.
To mark the opening a community day was held on the Bloomfield Road Open Space where there was food, live music, the King Bladud's pigs, which were sold at auction in aid of the Two Tunnels project, BMX displays and a free cycle repair service.
Cllr Roger Symonds (Lib-Dem, Combe Down), cabinet member for transport, said: "The Two Tunnels project is a great example of Bath and North East Somerset Council working together with members of the community and our partner organisations to create something really positive.
"All residents will be able to enjoy the route, whether they want to go for a short walk or cycle the whole 13 miles. I hope that we will be able to announce further improvements to cycling in the near future as a key part of our strategy to improve transport."
It has also been announced that Bath is to receive a further £252,100 investment from the Department for Transport to extend the Two Tunnels Greenway and link it to the Bath-Bristol Railway Path.
Bath MP Don Foster said: "It is absolutely essential that people of Bath should be able to cycle to work or school in a safe environment and extending the fantastic Two Tunnels Greenway will go a long way to achieving this.
"Not only is cycling healthy and enjoyable but by getting more people out of their cars and on their bikes, we can ease congestion too and strengthen our local economy."
