A popular Oxford school route, infamous for becoming muddy and flooded, will finally be fixed in a £16,000 scheme.

Children in Blackbird Leys have had to cope with years of soggy feet and dirty shoes because they used a track leading from the estate to Peers School —now the Oxford Academy.

The 200-metre dirt path, which stretches from Knights Road to Falcon Close, is also used by Oxford United fans on match days.

When wet weather strikes, the path is prone to flooding.

But Oxford City Council and Blackbird Leys Parish Council have now joined forces to ensure the whole path is asphalted next year.

Gordon Roper, chairman of the parish council, said: “During the wet weather it is pretty horrendous. It is very well used. The kids cut across there to get to the Academy and it is used every time Oxford United are at home. It’s just a mess.

“I think this will make a lot of difference.

“A lot of people will be able to walk in comfort rather than through rubbish.”

The parish council has pledged £7,000 towards the scheme. Oxford City Council’s south east area committee had already allocated £9,000 for improvements.

A smaller quote of £6,000 to use gravel rather than asphalt was rejected on the grounds the parish council wanted something longer lasting.

A council spokesman said the area committee decided to allocate funds because of the large number of children who used the route. The spokesman said it was hoped work would be completed in this financial year — meaning the puddles will be a thing of the past by April.

Knights Road resident Iain Booker, who is wheelchair-bound following a road accident, said: “It will be a lot better.

“When I do use it for taking the dogs out it will make it a lot easier for me to get up and down it.”

Parish councillor Cyril Martin said: “It’s a mess, and it generally wants cleaning up.

“Kids are using it to go to school, and they should have clean and tidy shoes. I did when I went to school.

“It would be used more if people had a decent track to walk on.”

ghamilton@oxfordmail.co.uk