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28
Oct
New update in Kirkby Malzeard roadworks saga
More details have emerged about the ongoing roadworks saga in Kirkby Malzeard.
Residents were recently subject to two concurrent road closures in the village, both of which are main access points, causing ongoing frustrations among locals.
Church Street reopened around two weeks ago after a burst water main forced it to close.
But Main Street, which shut on August 27, is expected to remain closed until late December after a collapsed sewer caused a sinkhole to develop.
The work was due to be completed by December 6, but Yorkshire Water – which is behind the project – said this month the job was “incredibly complex” and would take another 10 weeks to finish.
Councillor Felicity Cunliffe-Lister, a Liberal Democrat who represents Masham and Fountains on North Yorkshire Council, held a public meeting to address the impact the closure was having on residents and local businesses.
People raised concerns over HGVs travelling through the village, as well as congestion, damage to the road and road safety.
Cllr Cunliffe-Lister pledged to put concerns to Yorkshire Water and North Yorkshire Council’s highways department, with the hope of implementing a better traffic management system.
In an update yesterday (October 27), she said an existing diversion between Church Bank and Longswales Lane will be closed to HGVs.
This diversion is accessible to cars while Main Street is closed.
Cllr Cunliffe-Lister added:
This week another meeting was held on Main Street, with Yorkshire Water and its contractors to discuss the road closures and traffic.
The outcome of the meeting was that the diversion through Church Bank and Longswales Lane would be closed to HGVs, with an understanding that farm traffic would still be using this route during harvest.
Church Bank, Kirkby MalzeardShe told the Stray Ferret HGVs that require access to the village – such as those delivering supplies to local businesses – were also permitted to use the diversion.
Cllr Cunliffe-Lister added:
I am still hoping to hear from Highways to confirm if they have approved an official diversion route with Yorkshire Water.
For the time being it's the case that Yorkshire Water has closed the diversion through the village to HGVs with signage in place for a one-way route to enable HGVs to access the west side of Kirkby – which includes the construction site – via Laverton bridge and to exit via the road from Laverton to Warren Lane.
Cars can also access the village via the road between Kirkby Malzeard Cemetery and Laverton.
This route closed to HGVs, however, after reports of damage to the wall of a property along the road previously caused by HGVs.
The updates will hopefully be added to One Network, a website which highlights road closures and diversions, Cllr Cunliffe-Lister said, adding this will also update routes on satnavs.
The managing director of Brierley Homes, which is currently building 33 homes in Kirkby Malzeard, has also been asked to advise contractors not to drive through the village.
“With this in place, I’m hoping we’ll see HGV traffic levels drop overall”, Cllr Cunliffe-Lister adds.
People at the public meeting.
‘I don’t think work has even started’
At the public meeting, which the Stray Ferret attended, village residents also raised concerns about work beginning on Main Street.
The owner of Kirkby Stores, located on Main Street, questioned whether work had even started, despite the road being closed for several weeks.
She said at the time:
I don’t think work has even started. I think I’ve seen them twice.
We just want to know when work will actually start. That’s why we’re here, really.
In yesterday’s update, Cllr Cunliffe-Lister said although locals won’t see work starting today (October 28), they should expect to see equipment and plant machinery arriving in preparation.
She added:
Regarding the works, Yorkshire Water now has the results of the ground investigations. Due to the fact that they will have to excavate to a depth of 15 metres, there is an extensive amount of planning required to ensure that the works are carried out safely.
Whilst they will not be starting works on Monday morning, we should be seeing equipment, materials and plant vehicles arriving in preparation for this.
I have asked Yorkshire Water to put up a notice board on the hoardings to provide information on the works programme, and they will be on site every other Friday – from November 1 – between 10.00am-12.00pm, near Kirkby Stores, to be available to talk to residents about the works.
Yorkshire Water previously offered to sponsor Kirkby Malzeard’s village bonfire by way of apology for the inconvenience caused.
This was met with laughter at the public meeting.
Tractor stuck on Back Lane. Credit: Mary Crawshaw-Ralli
One-way chaos
The Stray Ferret has followed this story closely over the last month and spoke to a local couple who said the village descended into chaos because of the road closures.
Sharon and Oliver Hirst, who live in Kirkby Malzeard, previously told the Stray Ferret people started to “take matters into their own hands”.
Before Church Street reopened, drivers were redirected via either Grewelthorpe or Laverton to access the village. But the couple said people instead chose to “drive the wrong way” down Back Lane, a one-way route that runs parallel to Main Street, to by-pass the diversion.
To add insult to injury, Back Lane is now also closed after a vehicle became stuck on it earlier this month.
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