A section of railway line from Weymouth's old harbour tramway will be ripped up from next week after authorities were awarded more than £1m to help fund the work.

The Department for Transport (DfT) has announced that Dorset Council was successful in its joint bid with Network Rail for funding to dismantle and remove the rails from the disused harbour branch and to reinstate the carriageway.

The council says this will improve road safety by removing an ongoing hazard to cyclists and other vulnerable road users, reducing the number of incidents resulting in personal injuries.

In a project starting tomorrow and lasting until March 20, a highways team will be removing 25m-50m of track next to the old station platform on the harbourside, to learn how best to complete any future removal.

The Weymouth Harbour Branch Line (tramway) is a redundant railway line along Commercial Road and Custom House Quay. Boat trains used to run along the line to service the Channel Island ferries.

Many people feel the line is an important part of the town's industrial heritage and should be preserved – but the tracks have also been blamed for causing numerous accidents.

The Echo reported in February how Dorset Council was planning to tear up a section of the disused line.

Network Rail is responsible for the old rail infrastructure, with Dorset Council responsible for maintaining the surrounding road. These rail lines are fully decommissioned and cannot be repurposed for other uses due to their deteriorated condition, the council says.

Highways authorities were challenged by the government to put forward schemes which could make a real difference to road users. More than 30 councils were awarded a share of £93.4 million to repair roads and bridges as part of the latest push to improve connectivity, by helping councils fix key infrastructure, tackling congestion and improving journeys.

The award from the DfT equates to £1.137 million from central government funds, with an additional £200,000 contributed by Dorset Council and Network Rail respectively. The total project scheme is estimated to cost £1.537 million.

Cllr Ray Bryan, Portfolio Holder for Highways, Travel and Environment, said: “We are delighted to have been successful in our bid to secure additional funding to carry out this work.

"The removal of the old tracks will help keep our roads safe for both cyclists and pedestrians, which we also hope will result in a reduction in vehicle emissions as more people take to walking and cycling in the area. The scheme should also reduce associated road maintenance costs and improve access to key development sites within the Weymouth regeneration area.”

Cllr Tony Ferrari, Portfolio Holder for Finance, Commercial and Assets, added: “I’d like to thank our colleagues at the Department for Transport and Network Rail for their support, and we’re very happy that central government money – rather than Dorset Council Tax – will provide most of the funding for this work.

"I’m looking forward to seeing the results of our investigation work so we can pull together an action plan and timetable. This scheme is one of several projects we’re working on that we hope will demonstrate a commitment from Dorset Council to help unlock Weymouth’s potential in the coming years.”