PLANNED major improvements to the Leeds and Liverpool Canal towpath between Skipton and Gargrave have moved a step closer.

Craven District Council's Policy Committee has recommended contributing £200,000 from its New Homes Bonus money towards a £1.78 million project, which will also see the upgrade of the towpath between Bradley and the border with Bradford.

At last week's meeting, Cllr Simon Myers, said work on the towpath between Skipton and Gargrave would take cyclists off the A65, and benefit walkers and tourism.

“This is an exciting project; these proposed improvements would enable an increased number of visitors and businesses to benefit from the historic Leeds Liverpool Canal," he said.

“With improvements to pedestrian and cycle accessibility and visitor facilities, the project would encourage people to stay longer and spend more."

The council's funding, which will have to be approved by full council on August 1, would provide match funding for a bid being jointly submitted with the Canal and River Trust to the Rural Development Programme for England.

Cllr Myers said there was still a way to go, but he understood the bid was being looked upon 'favourably'.

“We are pleased to be able to take this step forward to deliver these much-needed improvements.”

If successful, the bid will improve a total of 13.5 km of towpath between Skipton to Gargrave, and from Bradley to Bradford.

After the meeting, Nick Smith, enterprise manager at the Canal and River Trust said: “The council's approval is great news. It enables our charity to continue to work in partnership with the council to further develop our application for funding and helps to ensure these canal towpath improvements are made for the benefit of both the community and visitors to the area.”

The Rural Development Programme for England is a European funding pot managed by the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) that has allocated funding for projects that will create and improve infrastructure for outdoor activities, create and develop infrastructure to enable visitors to move around the area and improve facilities to encourage visitors to stay longer and make return visits.

The council and the Canal and River Trust have previously worked together on a £450,000 project, funded by the Department of Transport, which last year helped to improve the canal towpath between Skipton and Bradley.

If the latest bid is successful, it is proposed that the work will be carried out next year.