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May
New road at Kex Gill delayed yet again
The £82.5 million realignment of the A59 at Kex Gill has been delayed again.
The new road was due to open on June 3. However, North Yorkshire Council said today it was now scheduled to open ‘mid-summer’.
The road was originally expected in March 2025 at a cost of £68.8 million.
But the cost has soared by £13.7 million and the scheme is now running more than a year behind schedule.
The council told the Stray Ferret as recently as April 16 that June 3 was the scheduled opening date.
But it said today the “exceptionally wet months from December through to February” had caused the latest setback.
Great Yorkshire Show fears
With no firm completion date given, there is the prospect of the road not being ready in time for the Great Yorkshire Show from July 14 to 17 and traffic lights being in place.
As the scheme nears completion, traffic lights will be required to allow the final elements of construction to be carried out.
North Moor Road will reopen under three-way traffic lights from mid-May until mid-June. Two-way traffic lights will also remain in place at Blubberhouses Bridge while stabilisation and waterproofing works continue.
From early July, the junction of Church Hill with the A59 will need to close for about eight weeks to enable construction of the new junction layout. During this period, a signed diversion will operate via the B6451, Farnley Lane and Newell Carr Road.
Towards the end of the scheme, overnight closures of the A59 will also be required to complete the final surfacing at both tie in points, with dates to be confirmed.
The point where the new Kex Gill road diverges from the old one, just north-west of Fewston reservoir, visible at top left.
'Extremely encouraging'
Councillor Malcolm Taylor, the council’s executive member for highways and transport, said:
It is extremely encouraging to see such strong progress across the Kex Gill site as we move into the final stages of this long-awaited scheme.
The benefits of the new route will be felt for decades to come, providing a safer, more reliable connection for residents, businesses and visitors.
While the exceptionally wet winter has meant a slight adjustment to the opening date, the team has worked incredibly hard to keep the programme progressing.
We are now approaching the finish line, and the quality of the work being delivered is clear to see.
The A59 is the main east-west route between Harrogate and Skipton.
The new section of the A59 near Blubberhouses will replace the existing road, which the council said it had spent £6 million on repairing 15 landslips since 2000.
As well as the construction of the new carriageway, the project encompasses new bridleways and footpaths, four kilometres of natural stone walls, two balancing ponds, and an extensive environmental scheme to enrich local habitats in this national landscape, including planting 12,000 trees and installing several bird and barn owl boxes.
Eight new culverts
A total of eight new culverts are also being installed to ensure water flows under the new road safely. Some of these include mammal shelves and ledges to allow animals such as badgers, otters and other wildlife to pass through or nest.
Landscaping works include drystone walling and hydroseeding of embankments with a mix of wildflowers and grass.
Drainage installation is ongoing, while surfacing contractors are due to return this month.
At Hall Lane, removal of the existing bridge is underway, alongside works to tie in the new road at both ends. Drainage and preparation for surfacing is also taking place at the western end.
Maintenance at Blubberhouses Bridge also continues, including waterproofing to minimise future disruption.
Realignment works at Church Hill, designed to reduce the incline and improve the junction layout, remain on course to be completed by the end of August.
Construction of the new bridleway linking Fewston Reservoir car park to North Moor Road is also progressing well.
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