Kex Gill has a history of landslips and instability – over the years there have been many unplanned and costly closures of the A59 at Kex Gill. Road closures at Kex Gill cause an inconvenience not just for users of the A59, but for those in the surrounding towns and villages through which traffic is required to make a six-mile diversion. 

The A59 provides a very important east-west connection in North Yorkshire, linking Harrogate and Skipton. More widely, it provides a route across the north of England, between junction 31 of the M6 and junction 47 of the A1(M).  

Following detailed consultation work, it was determined that the best way to address the ongoing issues of landslips and instability in the longer-term would be to reroute the A59 at Kex Gill. 

The project would see a new stretch of road of about three miles long across the valley. 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. 

This preferred route for the realignment was agreed by North Yorkshire County Council in July 2018, following a public consultation on various proposals. The Outline Business Case and the Technical Appraisal Report for the scheme have been submitted to the Department for Transport for their input, and surveys to assess the environmental impact of the project are ongoing. 

Julian continues to work with North Yorkshire County Council and the Department for Transport to ensure work on the project begins as soon as possible.  

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