County Council announce plans for A59 at Kex Gill

The slope above the A59 at Kex Gill with the road in the foreground. The area of the slope that is of most concern is on the left of the photo — The slope above the A59 at Kex Gill with the road in the foreground.

North Yorkshire County Council have said it may take up to 6 weeks to reopen the main route between Harrogate and Skipton.

The A59 was closed at Kex Gill, on 5 January 2016, following heavy rain and the detection of 0.5m movement. It was closed due to the risk of a further slip.

North Yorkshire County Council monitor movement on the slope. There are a number of white pegs inserted in the slope and an electronic distance measuring device is used from across the valley is used to detect movement in the pegs.

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There has been no further movement since that movement detected on the 5 January 2016, but a large build-up of water has been found midway up the slope. Work will now start to divert that water away from the slope that has had slippage, that will be a diversion transversally along the hillside and down.

This work will add crucial support to the previous work reinforcing and draining the slope.