Essential repairs and reconstruction work will start next month on the A684 between Sedbergh and Garsdale Head.
Work will be taking place at four separate sites from June to October along a 10-mile stretch of the road – and drivers are warned that sections of the road will need to be closed to all traffic during much of the period.
The high priority repairs, including rebuilding retaining walls and reconstructing river culverts, are all vital to protect the road from landslip damage, flooding and carriageway collapse.
A spokesman for Westmorland and Furness Council said: “We acknowledge it will be frustrating to have so many closures on this stretch of road over this period.
“These are essential repairs that will ultimately better protect the A684, preventing the sort of disruption that could be caused by failure of a retaining wall, cattle grid or culvert, which would almost certainly mean longer-term emergency closures.
“We had originally planned to stagger the work across a longer period to try to minimise the impacts, but various factors have meant that hasn’t been possible.
“These factors have included avoiding work on the A684 while it was being used as a diversion route during the Dent Head landslip work and during road closures on connecting routes being carried out by the neighbouring local authority.
“Environmental restrictions on working around watercourses also mean we can only carry out certain works in the allowable river working window, which is between mid-June and the end of September.
“We also considered scheduling some of the works to happen at the same time, but this would have involved simultaneous closures cutting off access to properties between the work sites.
“As a result, the projects and associated road closures have been planned sequentially, with short time periods between schemes to ensure all properties remain accessible and reducing the overall impact of the closures as far as possible for the local community.’’
Four separate schemes will be taking place between June and October on the A684 between Sedbergh and Garsdale Head:
- June 22 – July 17 (maximum of 4 weeks) – Reconstruction of River Clough retaining wall. Location: What3words: ///wheat.clots.recount
- July/August (maximum period of 3 weeks – start to follow completion of River Clough project) – Smorthwaite culvert retaining wall repair. Location: What3words: ///elephant.vibrating.lunching
- September (maximum of 5 weeks) – Reconstruction of Bellow Hill culvert to include additional carriageway and drainage works between Long Holme and the entrance to West Bridge End to resolve flooding issues. Location: What3words: ///driftwood.oven.smudges
- October (maximum of 3 weeks) – Replacement of Potgill Holme cattle grid Location: What3words: ///formation.merchant.responded
Exact dates for the later schemes are to be finalised.
Due to the nature of the repairs and the need to excavate across the whole carriageway, short sections of the A684 will be closed to all vehicles for the full duration of each scheme, including outside normal working hours from 8am to 5pm. All emergency services will be notified in advance of each closure.
A signed diversion route will operate via the B6259 Kirkby Stephen, A685 Tebay, A683 Sedbergh, and A684 Garsdale.
The diversion is not suitable for vehicles exceeding 15ft 9in in height due to a low bridge on the B6259.
Additional temporary restrictions will be introduced on adjacent local roads to prevent rat running away from the signed diversion route.
An embargo on all other road closures along this section of the A684 will also be in place between June 22 and November 27, preventing any other work by utility companies and other third parties, helping to minimise disruption to the local community.
The spokesman added: “We understand these closures will cause some inconvenience, but these repairs need to be carried out in the current calendar year due to the severity of the defects and the risk of sudden emergency closures, which would certainly cause even more disruption.
“We have planned the work and staged the closures as much as possible to mitigate the impact on local communities and have introduced measures to ensure the safety of residents and all highway users while the repairs are carried out.”
