Only two weeks remain to have your say in a public consultation on proposals to realign the A59 at Kex Gill.
The A59 is an important trans-Pennine route between Skipton and Harrogate, but has a history of instability and movement of the land above the road to the west of Blubberhouses at Kex Gill. There have been numerous landslips, the most recent in January 2016 leading to the closure of the road for eight weeks.
Realigning the A59 at Kex Gill to the other side of the valley is part of North Yorkshire County Council’s strategic transport plan to improve east to west connections between the east coast and Humber ports and Lancashire.
A public consultation focusing on proposals for this realignment began last month and will end on 31 October. So far, more than 250 responses have been received to the online consultation and more than 300 people attended public engagement events over three days last month.
County Councillor Don Mackenzie, Executive Member for Highways, said:
We’ve received an encouraging response to our consultation, but as the A59 provides a vital link between the east and west of the region through North Yorkshire we want to ensure that we hear the views of as wide a cross-section of road users and residents as possible.”
County Councillor Stanley Lumley, local member and a member of the Kex Gill steering group, added:
This route is very important for business and tourism and vital to our economy. Whenever the road has to close there is significant impact on businesses along the route and, I suspect, communities that link with the road. Therefore, it’s important that businesses and residents join in this consultation to help to determine the route that most improves the resilience of the A59.
The consultation and further details are available online at www.northyorks.gov.uk/kexgill. Paper copies are available on request: email LTP@northyorks.gov.uk, call 01609 780780 or write to Transport Planning, BES, County Hall, Northallerton, DL7 8AD.
