Motorists' misery as roadworks set to start on Burn Bridge Lane

A road closure will be in effect for eight weeks from Monday, January 8 when Burn Bridge Lane will be closed in both directions between the junctions with the A61 Harrogate Road and Brackenthwaite Lane. The A61 will remain open.

North Yorkshire County announced the work, including a left-turn lane and drainage improvements, last Friday.

Pannal and Burn Bridge parish councillor Howard West has voiced frustration over the lack of consultation.

Coun Howard West said: “Residents of Pannal and Burn Bridge, and probably also those in North Rigton and Beckwithshaw, were not made aware of this work and the ensuing chaos which is all but guaranteed in the aforementioned areas.”

He added: “Locals have no knowledge of where the diversion route will be until they’re confronted with it in the New Year.

“Those commuters from the Leeds and Bradford directions will be surprised on their return to work, being unable to use their preferred cut-through.”

Along with adding new pipe work and reconstructing the road surface North Yorkshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Highways, Don Mackenzie, says the project will ‘help address a difficult junction’

He said: “There have been a few collisions as a result of the unintended use of the indicator by vehicles leaving the Buttersyke Bar Roundabout.

“The creation of a turning lane will remove this risk in the immediate future.

“In the longer term, the council does now have funding for building a roundabout at this location using funds from our successful bid for highways improvements in the west of Harrogate under the National Productivity Investment Fund Scheme.”

While the A61 will remain open, a 40mph speed limit will be in place for the eight weeks to protect workers on the road.