THOUSANDS-OF-POUNDS could be spent on encouraging more people to use Clevedon’s cycle paths and footpaths if an environmental group’s project succeeds.

Transition Clevedon hopes North Somerset Council will agree to improve the signs along the many dual-use paths that run between the town’s houses in an effort to encourage more people out of their cars.

Group member Eric Holdsworth spoke at a meeting of Clevedon Town Council’s transport and highways committee meeting on November 16, asking for members support.

Mr Holdsworth, a former teacher at Clevedon School and keen cyclist, has ridden the many paths in the town, photographing areas for improvement.

He said: “There are lots of paths particularly around the southern end of Clevedon that not many of us are very aware of.

“The estates are all built in cul-de-sacs and linked by paths.

“If you actually use these you will find they are built to a high specification.”

Mr Holdsworth hopes better signs can be installed along the paths and also that a map detailing their routes can be produced to raise awareness of them.

An officer from North Somerset Council has predicted the project would cost about �15,000, including the installation of some dropped kerbs, and details about it will now be given to the authority’s executive member for transport and highways, Elfan Ap Rees, to consider.

In December he will decide whether it should be one of manyprojects to be added to the council’s local transport plan for the next year.

Town council committee members voted to support the idea of better signage and also educating the public about the paths.