Upgrades to a stretch of the Cinder Track have been approved between Burniston and Cloughton after accessibility concerns were raised. 

The Scarborough and Whitby area planning committee voted unanimously to approve the resurfacing of the 2.3km stretch of track on Thursday, May 9. 

Councillors previously voted to defer the application due to “insufficient information about accessibility”. 

The stretch of track between Burniston and Cloughton is also set to receive new benches, picnic tables, way finders at entry points, and bins.

Speaking at the meeting last week, a planning officer said that the track was already “accessibility compliant” and had a ramp. 

She added that the new works would see the ramp “upgraded and resurfaced to make it more of an even slope” and would “enable all-year use of wheelchairs and pushchairs”. 

Attending as a public speaker, Chris Bourne, a council officer, said that following the deferral he wanted to speak in favour of the plan. 

He told the committee: “This Cinder Track project is the fourth phase in a series of improvements to the whole track between Whitby and Scarborough” and is “one of North Yorkshire Council’s most used assets”. 

The £700,000 funding of the track from Sustrans is dependent on meeting the organisation’s standards, including on accessibility, which Mr Bourne said were “of the utmost importance”. 

Coun Heather Phillips said she was “confident that the regrading will assist as I know that is a steep slope” but added that she still had “concerns about the other side of the road”. 

She told the committee that it was “one of the most inaccessible spots in all of North Yorkshire… but I understand there are deadlines for the funding to be used so I wouldn’t want to delay the works any further”. 

Coun Subash Sharma said the new information was “absolutely okay” and seconded a motion to approve the plan. 

However, he said he also had concerns about “the whole length of this Cinder Track which we want everyone to use, but the interaction of all users needs to be addressed at some point”. 

He said there was “a conflict, particularly between young children, families, and cyclists who are speeding far too fast along here and is causing an issue where urban areas border the track”. 

Councillors unanimously voted to approve the plan, subject to conditions, on Thursday, May 9.