A number of new and improved pathways for cyclists and pedestrians are set to be opened across London this summer as part of the £1.3m Greenways initiative.

Mayor Boris Johnson and Transport for London (TfL) have contributed funding towards the project - forming part of the wider Great Outdoors Programme to improve the capital's open spaces. A new Greenway route has been launched in Beckenham Place Park - Ravensbourne River Route, which connects Catford and Bromley and runs through an area featuring wildlife and woodland.

Delivered by Lewisham Borough Council with the support of Sustrans, the route connects with existing cycle links in Bromley and Lewisham and is the first of seven to open this summer. Further Greenway routes are scheduled to open in Kingston, Haringey, Hounslow, Havering and Islington this summer, as well as two routes in Kensington and Chelsea.

Johnson said: "We have a treasure trove of small parks and paths in our city that have been simply crying out for a little extra attention. By spending money on these schemes we can improve access to some of the most beautiful parts of the capital."