A CYCLE way and footpath linking Petersfield with areas south of Butser Hill is expected to cost much more than first thought, and take a year longer to complete.

Work on the last section of the A3 cycle and pedestrian route from The Causeway to Queen Elizabeth Country Park has ground to a halt, within sight of the finish.

The project for Hampshire County Council and partners including the South Downs National Park Authority was originally priced at £780,000.

The cash was awarded from a government fund aimed at providing more cycleways across the UK.

It’s now thought the overrun could push the cost of completion past £1m.

It was originally expected to take 21 weeks to complete, with contractors Raymond Brown Construction expected to finish four of the five sections last September.

Highways England was contracted to complete the remaining section, which follows the route of the old A3, over the hill above the cutting in which the new dual carriageway sits.

But just before Christmas, site offices, materials and machinery were taken away and work halted on a section of the path next to a bridge carrying the A3 carriageway.

The country park is managed by the county council, and manager Tim Speller said: “It’s just the last section.

“Clearly something isn’t as it should be, but I can’t say more. The council is working through the issues of replacing the contractor, but we’re not expecting that to be a quick process.

“We were hoping it would have opened last summer.”

He added it was hoped the cycleway and path will open this summer, a year later than expected. The stoppage appears to be due to complications with the last stretch of path into the country park.

A retaining wall supporting it down a bank into the country park was due to be constructed.

But cutting into the bank and engineering work stopped soon after it began, and the contractors “were stood down,” said Mr Speller.

Both Hampshire County Council and Raymond Brown Construction have been asked for a statement.

A spokesman for the contractors said it would be difficult to make a statement without having some contact with the council.