Harrogate drivers can expect disruption on a vital stretch of the A59 until at least September in the latest delay to hit the troubled £82.5m Kex Gill project.

As predicted in a Harrogate Advertiser article in May, road closures and temporary traffic lights will affect journeys on the key east-west route near Blubberhouses throughout the summer as the completion date of the most ambitious highways scheme ever undertaken by North Yorkshire Council slips once again.

The new bypass aims to permanently fix the notoriously landslide-prone section on from easy terrain on the A59 between Harrogate and Skipton, which has seen 15 landslips since 2000.

The much-needed scheme had until this March been on schedule to open in June.

The new bypass at Kex Gill aims to permanently fix the notoriously landslide-prone section on from easy terrain on the A59 between Harrogate and Skipton, which has seen 15 landslips since 2000. (Picture contributed)

placeholder image — The new bypass at Kex Gill aims to permanently fix the notoriously landslide-prone section on from easy terrain on the A59 between Harrogate and Skipton, which has seen 15 landslips since 2000. (Picture contributed)

North Yorkshire Council then said the completion date would be mid-July.

That deadline, too, is set to be unrealised even as the project moves into the final stages.

The latest information on traffic arrangements at the site revealed by North Yorkshire Council will see the following happen:

Traffic will be transferred to part of the new road from Wednesday, July 22 and controlled by temporary traffic lights.

Hall Lane is now closed at its junction with the A59 until Wednesday, July 22.

From Wednesday, July 22, traffic will move onto a section of the new road at Blubberhouses under single lane, controlled by temporary traffic lights

From the same date, Church Hill will be closed at its junction with the A59 for eight weeks to allow completion of the new junction layout

The car park at Fewston Reservoir will also remain closed during this period

Full closures of the A59 will be required at both ends of the scheme to complete surfacing works.

These will be restricted to evening and night-time periods to minimise disruption.

During daytime hours, the route will remain open under temporary traffic light control.

These closures are currently programmed for the week commencing August 17 at the western end and the week commencing September 21 at the eastern end.

North Yorkshire Council’s commitment to the multi-million pound Kex Gill road realignment to safeguard the future of the A59 has never been in any doubt.

In May 2025 North Yorkshire Council announced an extra £11.7 million of investment to complete the scheme.

Defending the project, North Yorkshire Council’s executive member for highways and transport, Coun Malcolm Taylor, said: “The benefits of the new route will be felt for decades to come, providing a safer, more reliable connection for residents, businesses and visitors.”