LISTEN - Six to eight months to repair the A19 at Chapel Haddlesey

Investigation and design work ahead of repairs to the closed section of the A19 near Chapel Haddlesey is nearing a conclusion we are told.

Many people have been asking why it is taking so long to fix.

The process has been delayed by both the very slow dissipation of water following the floods in February, which prevented the investigations starting, the Covid-19 pandemic and the availability of specialist ground investigation radar.

The road sits on a causeway that runs over five culverts.

LISTEN to Councillor Don McKenzie who oversees transport at North Yorkshire County Council:

The County Council has told Minster FM the floods eroded and undermined the bottom for the causeway’s embankments, but more critically the ground radar has established that there are numerous voids within the structure throughout its length of more than one kilometre (more than 0.6 miles). 

David Bowe, North Yorkshire County Council’s Corporate Director, Business and Environmental Services, said:

“We have removed vegetation in preparation for works starting on site and are working with our consultant and contractor to establish the best way to complete the work.

At this point, construction is expected to take between six and eight months.

However, we are seeking to minimise this period.

As soon as we have a detailed programme, we will inform the public.

We have received a request to build an adjacent cycleway as we repair this stretch of road. However, to do so would require additional land and major structural works to widen the causeway and extend the five culverts.

The cost would run to millions of pounds and would significantly delay the repair work while we established a solution for a cycleway and tried to source funding.

Any cycleway would also need to extend much further than the length of the repair scheme to usefully connect it to the wider network.

We will, however, consider the possibility of a cycleway as part of the wider Active Travel programme promoted by Secretary of State for Transport Grant Shapps, funding for which we anticipate will be announced later this year.

All proposals from across the county would be prioritised objectively, looking at cost and benefit.”

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