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25
Sept
'Slight irony’: Council advert highlights Knaresborough landmark as repair delays continue
The “slight irony” of North Yorkshire Council using a picture of Knaresborough’s Viaduct Terrace before its collapse to advertise for its new chief executive has been pointed out as residents continue to press for the landmark to be repaired.
Councillor Matt Walker highlighted the use of the image while presenting a petition calling for urgent action to repair the site after the terrace collapsed in February.
More than 2,000 people signed the petition calling for the landslip to be treated as an urgent priority and meaningful stabilisation work to begin before winter.
Speaking at a meeting of North Yorkshire Council’s Harrogate and Knaresborough area committee on Thursday (September 24), Cllr Walker said residents were struggling to understand why work had still not begun seven months later.
He said:
In the last couple of weeks, I’ve had lots of residents contact me about the advert for the chief executive that went out.
There’s a slight irony there that the picture that was used was of the viaduct and the Viaduct Terrace prior to the collapse.
So clearly the council values it, but they can’t be bothered to fix it urgently.
If it’s good enough to promote Yorkshire at its best, we need to get on and fix it.
The North Yorkshire Council job advert featuring the viaduct in Knaresborough.
Fellow Knaresborough councillor Hannah Gostlow said the riverside was one of the first places visitors came to see.
She said:
Tourists ask us why it hasn’t been fixed and local residents see it as part of a much bigger concern about the maintenance, investment and care of the town’s public spaces.
She added that the River Nidd and riverside were important to the local economy, supporting independent businesses, cafés, shops, boat hire and tourism.
However, council bridges manager Phil Richardson told members that repairing the terrace was complicated by its proximity to Network Rail’s viaduct.
He said the council could not excavate alongside the structure without Network Rail’s permission and without first establishing the depth of the viaduct foundations.
The council report reveals that earlier attempts to obtain quotes for ground investigations were unsuccessful because of the liabilities and risks associated with contractors working close to Network Rail infrastructure.
A contract is now being awarded which will allow ground investigations and design work to take place.
Mr Richardson said the site would be monitored over winter and rock armour could be installed as a temporary measure if necessary, although officers did not currently believe that was required.
Subject to a future bid for council capital funding, permanent work is currently expected to begin in summer 2027 and be completed the same year.
The committee agreed the council should prepare a report updating residents on the landslip and progress towards carrying out the repairs.
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