Residents urged to get outdoors and use Blackpool's network of public footpaths which have now been cleared

A regular maintenance programme is ensuring public footpaths across Blackpool are now more available for residents to enjoy.

The council's waste services company Enveco has carried out clearance work, installed fencing on some paths and improved signage.

The latest update about the state of the paths heard challenges remained around keeping some of the paths open, with some private land owners defying council requests to keep the routes open. In those cases, enforcement letters are being sent out.

John Blackledge, director of community and environmental services, told a meeting of the Climate Change and Environment Scrutiny Committee, great strides had been made in recent years.

He said: "Since this first came to committee huge progress has been made to open up these public rights of way across Blackpool. Now there is a maintenance programme and funding linked to Enveco.

"It is now about how these are accessed and used in the future, and Active Blackpool can extend their walk programme. Now the focus is on how they can be used by active communities."

He added there were concerns about people on electric bikes using the paths, but this could be controlled such as by using chicanes to slow bikes down.

Next steps will also include tree planting along paths, and encouraging bird nesting and bat roosting to boost wildlife.

Coun Jane Hugo, cabinet member for climate change, said: "These are public rights of way and we have a duty to maintain them so they are there for the whole of the town to enjoy."