Thirsk footpath in danger of collapsing into river, say officials

Marage Road.

A permanent solution is being drawn up to repair the footpath connecting St James Green with Marage Road in Thirsk which is in danger of collapsing into the river, council officials say.

In May, North Yorkshire County Council closed the public right of way after reports of cracks and movement of the pavement.

Inspections revealed that the route has been severely affected by river erosion to the retaining wall, damaging and reducing the structural integrity of the iron footbridge as well as the path leading to it.

Following extensive surveys the county council’s countryside and access service says it is considering a number of solutions before repair work can be carried out.

Officials say a date of when the route will be reopened cannot yet be confirmed.

County Councillor Gareth Dadd, who represents the Thirsk division, said: “We recognise the inconvenience the closure continues to cause to the local community; however, public safety is paramount.

“This is why we are taking the opportunity to urge residents to respect the closure as we work to find a solution.

“Reopening the route is our number one priority, however the situation is complex and requires a multi-agency response.

“Please be assured that we are pulling out all of the stops to get a solution in place as quickly and cost effectively as possible.”

Users of the route are being diverted via Bridge Street, approximately an additional 200m distance to access St James Green.

Be the first to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.


*