North Yorkshire Council is planning to resurface the Harland Way walking and cycling route between Spofforth and Wetherby.

The works will cost £200,000 with resources allocated by the now-abolished Harrogate Borough Council.

It will see the 3km route between East Park Road in Spofforth and the outskirts of Wetherby receive an improved stone surface which the council hopes will make it easier to travel and help prevent flooding.

The popular route is named after the late former Lions Club president Peter Harland. It was converted from a railway trackbed to a path in 1992.

The Harland Way is owned and maintained by a partnership of Leeds City Council, North Yorkshire Council, the Wetherby to Thorp Arch Railway Path Forum, and the Thorp Arch Estate and Retail Park.

According to a report presented to Harrogate and Knaresborough councillors this month, vegetation is also overgrowing onto the path which is narrowing its width.

Following a site meeting in July, the council said they had hoped to widen the path to 3 metres which would bring it into line with the latest government guidance on active travel.

However, the council said that due to budget constraints, it is not expected to be able to do this along the whole length of the path.

Instead, it has proposed to widen the path where there are “pinch points” only.

The council said designs are in progress and it’s expected the work will be completed by the end of March 2025.