DETAILS of a £700,000 scheme to upgrade a popular North Yorkshire seaside walking and cycling route will be on display this week at a drop-in event.

The Cinder Track runs for more than 21 miles from Scarborough to Whitby along the disused railway line connecting the two resorts. It is a big draw for local residents, tourists and lovers of spectacular sea views.

Now North Yorkshire Council with Sustrans, the sustainable travel charity, is using £700,000 funding from the Department of Transport  to upgrade the section between Burniston and Cloughton near Scarborough.

The plans are aimed at making it more accessible to disabled people and those with pushchairs and less likely to be affected by bad weather during the winter.  

The council is holding a drop-in session on Wednesday at Burniston and Cloughton Village Hall from 6pm to 8pm so that the public can find out more and ask staff questions about the proposals.

The council’s executive member for highways and transport, Cllr Keane Duncan, said: "The Cinder Track is a fantastic footpath with stunning views that connects Scarborough and Whitby.

"However, due to the very nature of the North Yorkshire countryside and the original purpose of the Cinder Track as a railway, there are some areas where it is narrow, involves steps or uneven terrain.

"By working with Sustrans and the DfT we are helping to overcome this challenge, improve the 21-mile public right of way and ensure everyone, including those in wheelchairs, people with pushchairs and those on bicycles, have better access.

“We are encouraging all interested parties to come along to the drop-in event to learn more about the scheme and ask any questions they may have.”

The next phase of the scheme is scheduled to take place from January to April next year and will see the redesign of access barriers and resurfacing on the route between Salt Pans Lane and Coastal Road on the A165.

A new smooth, even and continuous surface will be created, made from recycled rubber. It provides a non-slip, free-draining path which is suitable for pedestrians, cyclists and horse riders to replace the current surface which can become wet and muddy, particularly through the winter months.

Where possible, the new surface will be three metres wide to allow users to pass safely and to walk, ride and wheel side-by-side. Access barriers will also be redesigned to prevent the need for cyclists and horse riders to dismount and make it easier for those in wheelchairs or mobility scooters.

The work will be carried out in compliance with ecological law and in consultation with ecologists to ensure that, where possible, habitats are maintained. Where habitat might be lost, it will be appropriately mitigated for, and biodiversity on the route will be enhanced following the works.

Route closures and diversions will be in place during the work. The majority of construction will be carried out during the winter months when there are fewer users on the track. Full details will be announced later.