A59 closed again at Kex Gill

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hat
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A59 closed again at Kex Gill

Post by hat »

The A59 between Skipton and Harrogate has been closed again at Kex Gill as slippage of the hillside has been detected.
http://www.cravenherald.co.uk/news/1418 ... ety_fears/

The report talks about a long term solution to realign the road away from this narrow valley, probably to the north joining North Moor Rd and Hall Lane
https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@53.99484 ... 718576,15z
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stu531
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Re: A59 closed again at Kex Gill

Post by stu531 »

Flipping heck - good job I saw your message! I would've come home that way tomorrow had I not seen it...

It does need a longer term solution, though, which in a way is a shame as it's a cracking drive to take. It also could ideally do with a stretch with passing opportunities, because if you get stuck uphill against a slow moving vehicle, you're stuffed.
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Re: A59 closed again at Kex Gill

Post by stu531 »

As an update, Stray is starting to report that people are being urged not to use the short diversion; rather, they should go via Ilkley.

This is a proper pain. I can understand some locales getting perturbed by it, but there needs to be some kind of compromise here.

There's a danger of the road being closed long term: the 26th is when the three week closure elapses.

http://www.strayfm.com/news/local-news/ ... shortcuts/
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Re: A59 closed again at Kex Gill

Post by hat »

Local paper are reporting that concrete blocks are now being placed to stop people using the local diversion, forcing them to go via otley.

Also saying movement of 800mm has been measured so it could remain closed for some time
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Re: A59 closed again at Kex Gill

Post by Jon »

It would need a bit of top dressing, but the Old Turnpike Road could be used one-way for a few months ??
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Re: A59 closed again at Kex Gill

Post by hat »

Jon wrote:It would need a bit of top dressing, but the Old Turnpike Road could be used one-way for a few months ??
where's that?
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Re: A59 closed again at Kex Gill

Post by Jon »

hat wrote:a long term solution to realign the road away from this narrow valley, probably to the north joining North Moor Rd and Hall Lane
https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@53.99484 ... 718576,15z
The Old Turnpike Road joins North Moor Rd and Hall Lane
here:
https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@53.99684 ... 312!8i6656

It was a very tongue in cheek suggestion of mine last night.
There must be a reason why today's A59 was developed instead of the turnpike road.
It must have its own issues of landslides or bogginess, that made traffic use the other side of the valley instead, on today's A59.
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Re: A59 closed again at Kex Gill

Post by hat »

It does look odd when you look on google,that is the natural line but the existing road turns away from it to tun down the valley side. Its the obvious long term solution, going over the top wont work as its way too uneven and boggy up there
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Re: A59 closed again at Kex Gill

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This is due to reopen tomorrow - thank goodness.

Talk is that the local MP is supporting an initiative to build a new alignment to the north, as discussed in this thread. The cost is something like £33m as a proposal - surprisingly expensive, but I guess that's the modern cost of roadbuilding.

In the meantime it's good that this is going to open up. I was tired of going via Ilkley or Appletreewick...
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Re: A59 closed again at Kex Gill

Post by hat »

Yep reopened this morning but who knows how effective these latest repairs will be. The suposed £33M cost to bypass is being balanced against around £1M already spent on repairs since 2012. Case of good money been thown after bad.
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Re: A59 closed again at Kex Gill

Post by Bryn666 »

A new alignment built to a decent WS2 standard would solve the issues of large vehicles having to crawl past each other too.

I do like Kex Gill but it shows why the A59 was originally a secondary A road there. I still remember white signs east of Skipton. Presumably widening Beamsley Hill to 3 lanes brought about its redesignation as a primary A road?
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Re: A59 closed again at Kex Gill

Post by stu531 »

The A59 was indeed a non-primary route for much of its time - I've got some Collins late 70s maps showing it as such. Reckon it became primary as late as the 90s - though I may be wrong. The Beamsley Hill widening took place about 82 and then the upgrades in between there and Kex Gill - I would say about 1990.

If the north side route is created, it needs - at least - crawler lanes on the ascent. Of course, it'd be even better if it was future proofed as D2 capable given the fact that it's the only viable route between the M62 and A66 :D

Throwing good money after bad is a fair way of putting it. It will need some kind of repair again in future, I'm sure. It feels like it would turn into a Mam Tor at some point where it becomes irreparable.

Edit - I drove down this tonight. There is some shoring up at the same place that was strengthened a couple of years ago, and what looks like a farm track at the bottom (which I believe is access to the area that was repaired halfway up the valley) - but other than that, you wouldn't know anything had taken place.

Still think there are lots of improvements that ought to be made. Indeed, there should be improvements all the way across to Preston on the A59 - notably around Gisburn and Copster Green areas.
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Re: A59 closed again at Kex Gill

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Did North Yorkshire make it primary thereby elevating it in the road hierarchy hoping to obtain more funding from Central Government. The way DfT hands money out to local authorities depends on the category of roads they have. They may have been aware of the issues and believed making in primary would support there case for funds to ensure the issues could finally resolved.
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Re: A59 closed again at Kex Gill

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Re: A59 closed again at Kex Gill

Post by ScottB5411 »

I'm sure the people of Yorkshire will be thrilled how much "spare revenue" is generated by car parks every year.
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Re: A59 closed again at Kex Gill

Post by stu531 »

It doesn't surprise me! However, if money that has been acquired from parking fees is put back into roads, then I'm all for it.

The A59 does need improvement. I have wondered if a lorry ban (you know, because the geology of the area isn't compatible with the road) would help - or is that me being a selfish car driver who uses the A59 daily?

Certainly if Harrogate gets its long awaited Northern Bypass, there would be an uplift in traffic using the A59 across the Pennines. In that case, the A59 from Skipton to Harrogate would need some improvements (as would sections from Samlesbury to Whalley, incidentally).
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Re: A59 closed again at Kex Gill

Post by Fenlander »

Would you rather be stuck behind 1 lorry or a dozen vans carrying the same load?
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Re: A59 closed again at Kex Gill

Post by stu531 »

In the case of the A59, it's a long trawl up the winding pass at Kex Gill. A dozen vans would probably be able to get up the gorge at 50mph, whilst a single lorry often makes it at 20mph if you're lucky. The same is true the other side of the valley past the Hopper Lane Hotel.
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Re: A59 closed again at Kex Gill

Post by Bryn666 »

Gisburn Bypass too whilst we're at it?

I'd love to know what sort of improvements beyond Clitheroe were considered in 1949 when the A59 was designated 'Route 5' in the Lancashire Road Plan. The Whalley-Clitheroe bypasses are the only tangible outcome of that era. By 1969 the eyes were set on the M65 as a high quality cross pennine route instead.
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Re: A59 closed again at Kex Gill

Post by stu531 »

Bryn666 wrote:Gisburn Bypass too whilst we're at it?

I'd love to know what sort of improvements beyond Clitheroe were considered in 1949 when the A59 was designated 'Route 5' in the Lancashire Road Plan. The Whalley-Clitheroe bypasses are the only tangible outcome of that era. By 1969 the eyes were set on the M65 as a high quality cross pennine route instead.
Yeah something I'd like to know too. Clearly there's the huge A59/A666 roundabout that we know about. As I'm sure you know, the Whalley bypass has clearly been built for a dualling that never happened. I never saw an accurate depiction of what an improved route west of Whalley would look like, though.

Gisburn bypass is an obvious one too. Either side of it is improved (S2) road, of course.
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