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08
Oct
No end in sight to Kex Gill works, and no word on the final bill
The new section of the A59 at Kex Gill finally opened a year late in August, but work at the site is not yet finished – and North Yorkshire Council still cannot say when the project will be completed.
Temporary traffic lights and diversions remain, and queues of 15-20 minutes are not uncommon. Plans to return the old road to moorland also appear to be a long way from being realised.
The Stray Ferret asked the council what works remain to be done at Kex Gill, and when it might all be finished.
A spokesperson told us:
The final works include constructing the two tie-ins between the new and existing sections of the A59, remodelling Church Hill and its associated junctions, and decommissioning the old section of carriageway.
Other work currently underway includes completing the natural stone facing to the large underpass, constructing the remaining sections of dry-stone walling, installing fencing along the route and planting the remaining trees and further landscaping works.
But they did not provide any date for completion, adding simply:
Further updates will be provided as the scheme progresses.
Asked about work to remove the old road, they said:
Further updates, including details of the decommissioning of the old road, will be provided as the scheme progresses.
The response is likely to add to the frustration of residents in Blubberhouses, who have coped with long-term disruption, diversions and lack of clarity over progress.
15 landslides in 25 years
Construction of the new 4.2km stretch of road was approved because the old road was vulnerable to landslides. Between 2000 and January 2025 there were 15 landslips at Kex Gill, causing major disruption, since the road is one of the main east-west routes from the Dales.
It was also expensive – North Yorkshire Council spent more than £6 million reinstating the road and shoring up the hillside following successive landslides.
Rerouting of the road along the north side of the valley was originally costed at £68.8 million, but over the course of construction, costs ballooned to £82.5 million by the time the road opened – £13.7 million over budget.
But the work continues, and North Yorkshire Council has yet to provide a final costing. Asked about the relative costs of building the new road and decommissioning the old one, the North Yorkshire Council spokesperson told us:
The total cost of the scheme will be confirmed on completion.
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