North Yorkshire County Council (NYCC) announced a public consultation on proposals to realign the A59 at Kex Gill in September 2017. Rerouting the A59 at Kex Gill is part of NYCC’s strategic transport plan to improve east to west connections between the east coast and Humber ports and Lancashire.

The project is estimated to cost between £33 million and £40 million and would see a new stretch of road of about three miles long across the valley. 

A preferred route for this realignment was agreed by the council in July 2018 and a full business case for funding has been submitted to the Department for Transport. It is hoped construction could start in the spring 2020 and the road could take 14 months to complete. The new stretch of road would begin Kex Gill Farm, and follow a bridleway along the north edge of the valley, returning to the A59 at the turn off to Otley at Church Hill.

Julian Smith said: ‘I am delighted that this project is moving to the next stage and I hope that every interested user of the A59 contributed to the consultation. This stretch of road is vital to the local area and as a trans-Pennine route for freight and other users. I am assisting North Yorkshire County Council to ensure they are given the fullest support from central government.’

Further information about the scheme and the routes is available online at www.northyorks.gov.uk/kexgill.