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10
Dec 2024
End date for Kirkby Malzeard roadworks finally given
Yorkshire Water has issued a completion date for its programme of extensive roadworks in Kirkby Malzeard.
Roadworks have been in place in the village since August. At one point, two main routes closed concurrently, causing severe disruption on roads.
Church Street reopened in October after a short closure, but Main Street – which shut on August 27 – remains blocked off.
Yorkshire Water closed the road after a collapsed sewer caused a sinkhole.
The firm initially hoped the work on Main Street would be finished by December 6. However, Cllr Felicity Cunliffe-Lister, a Liberal Democrat who represents Masham and Fountains on North Yorkshire Council, told a public meeting in October the work was expected to take a further 10 weeks to complete.
The job was “incredibly complex” and required workers to drill to a depth of 15 metres as part of the ground investigation work, Yorkshire Water said at the time.
The Stray Ferret has covered the works and their impact on the village at length over the last few months.
We approached Yorkshire Water for an update two weeks ago, but a precise end date remained elusive.
However, in an update today, the water company said it hoped the work will be complete on Friday (December 13).
A spokesperson told the Stray Ferret:
Our teams are on track with the complex repair, and we are expecting the works to complete on Friday afternoon (December 13).
We thank Kirkby Malzeard residents and road users for their continued patience throughout.
Residents at the public meeting in October.
The road is also due to reopen on Friday, the spokesperson added.
At October’s meeting, Kirkby Malzeard residents and business owners raised concerns about the impact of the roadworks.
These included HGVs travelling through the village whilst Main Street is closed, congestion and road safety.
Cllr Cunliffe-Lister put these concerns to Yorkshire Water and North Yorkshire Council's highways department at the time and a traffic management system was implemented.
Cllr Cunliffe-Lister said today:
I thank all the Kirkby Malzeard residents for their patience and perseverance, and although communications between the agencies was lacking at the start of the project I’d like to thank highways and Yorkshire Water for all their more recent engagement, and thank Brierley Homes for assisting with re-routing their traffic away from the diversion.
New burst water main
Yorkshire Water also said another water main has recently burst, but the repair is already underway.
A statement by the firm, seen by the Stray Ferret, added:
I am sorry to say there has been a clean water burst near the sewer collapse. This can happen due to the machinery causing vibrations and damage to the pipe.
Fortunately, the repair is underway, and if it does take longer the sewer repair, a road closure isn’t needed as the clean water pipe that has burst is under the verge/pavement (not the road).
Supply to all properties has been maintained throughout this clean water issue, via an overland feed.
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