The Transport Talk column with Don Mackenzie: There’s positive news on A59 trans-Pennine route

I start the new year with the positive news that planning permission has been granted to the county council’s application to divert the A59 trans-Pennine route at Kex Gill. Members of the county’s Planning and Regulatory Functions Committee voted unanimously to approve the application.
An aerial view of the County Council-led works to upgrade Junction 47 of the A1M.An aerial view of the County Council-led works to upgrade Junction 47 of the A1M.
An aerial view of the County Council-led works to upgrade Junction 47 of the A1M.

A formal request was submitted by a multi-national minerals extraction company to the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government to call in the decision.

A representative of the company, Sibelco, informed the committee that the planned new 3.9km-long alignment of the A59 could hinder extraction of adjacent silica sand deposits in the future.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Concerns were also expressed about potential damage to the environment and to wildlife. Members decided, however, that, on balance, the costs of keeping the road open along its current alignment on a steep slope, and the consequences of prolonged periods of closure of this important route, could not be overlooked, and all voted to approve the scheme.

The Kex Gill diversion scheme is expected to cost about £60m. If the Secretary of State decides that a public enquiry should be held, the cost will rise by about £1m. The county council has made a bid for up to £56m to the Department for Transport and will cover the balance from its own reserves.

I pay tribute to the efforts of our winter gritting teams and of the more than 100 farmers who helped to keep the county’s main roads and bus routes open during the period of very cold and icy weather earlier this month. The county council has a modern fleet of 86 gritters in addition to equipment used by farmers. Some 20,000 tonnes of grit salt have been spread between Christmas Eve and the middle of January.

The county council started winter with 55,000 tonnes distributed in salt barns and has been able to receive additional quantities as needed from its reliable supplier at Boulby mine. It spends around £7m on its winter service each year.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Work continues on schedule to upgrade junction 47 of the A1M with the A59 near Flaxby. This near £8m county council-led scheme, partly funded by on-street parking surpluses, will widen a section of the A59 and motorway slip roads, add traffic lights to the roundabout and also to the junction further east of the A168. This investment anticipates the high level of residential and commercial growth planned for the A59 corridor in Harrogate Borough Council’s recently adopted local plan.

A detailed report on proposed measures to combat congestion in the Harrogate area was discussed by councillors at two Area Constituency Committee meetings held earlier this month.

A report will now go the NYCC Executive, to seek authorisation to take proposed measures forward. These include much more provision for active travel, boosting the use of trains and buses whilst discouraging the choice of the motor car for short journeys, and developing a case for a park and ride site close to the A61 near Pannal. There was strong support too for pursuing a bypass scheme for Killinghall.

The county council expects to launch a public consultation next month around highways-related elements of its successful bid alongside Harrogate Borough Council for £7.8m to create an improved transport gateway on Station Parade, as part of the Government’s Transforming Cities Fund.

A total of £31m has been awarded for travel gateways in North Yorkshire, including similarly ambitious schemes in Selby and Skipton.

Related topics: