A MAJOR £141,806 project to improve footpaths and rights of way across the North York Moors has been launched.

The North York Moors National Park Authority is to work with 20 communities to carry out the Community Access Project work over the coming year.

It received £113,445 from the North York Moors, Coast and Hills Leader programme and £28,361 from the National Park Authority.

Each community will benefit from £5,000 to improve signage, manage vegetation and drainage and also improve disabled access.

Community volunteers will be recruited to carry out the work with national park staff.

Martyn Williams, the scheme’s project manager, said: "The project will provide the resources and training to enable communities to deliver and maintain locally identified access improvements.

"Discussions with parishes in the park highlighted a desire to improve access within communities but many had hit a stumbling block in gathering the resources and expertise to get the job done."

David Leyshon, area secretary of the North Yorkshire and South Durham Area of the Ramblers' Association, backs the scheme.

He said: "We wholeheartedly subscribe to the aims and objectives of the project.

"Better maintained ways around and between villages will provide a greater incentive to get out into the country and to walk."