GORLESTON residents objecting to plans to upgrade a muddy path for use by cyclists met Norfolk County Council officers this week to discuss their concerns.

GORLESTON residents objecting to plans to upgrade a muddy path for use by cyclists met Norfolk County Council officers this week to discuss their concerns.

Warren Road residents Alex Simpson and Mel Walsh met council staff on Wednesday to raise their concerns about plans to lay a concrete strip along the unmade section between Gorleston squash club and Hopton Holiday Village so schoolchildren no longer have to cycle along a path beside the busy A12.

The dual carriageway route is currently used by pupils to get from Hopton to the Cliff Park schools, but concerns have been raised over their safety because the path is close to the road in places.

But the objectors told the council's representatives, including head of programme management John Joyce, project engineer Paul Donnachie and Sarah Jenkinson, from the council's legal department, they felt the cycleway would put pedestrians' safety at risk.

They were also concerned the upgrade to the country path section would lead to the habitated section of the private road also being changed for use by cyclists even though residents were responsible for deciding how it was maintained.

One alternative mooted was to carry out safety improvements to the A12 route, but the council has rejected this as the cost would be �200,000, compared to �65,000 to improve the Warren Road path.

However, a county council spokesman said: “The residents were also reassured that the council has no plans to improve or adopt the northern, residential section of Warren Road. The council does intend to adopt the southern section of Warren Road.

“It was agreed that council officers would shortly discuss the scheme further with the two local county councillors in the hope of making a firm decision soon on the way forward. “