Repairs being at landslip hit Cumbria route
Works are expected to last 12 weeks on the A592 at High Kingate
Last updated 22nd Apr 2026
Works are starting today to repair and reinstate the A592 at High Kingate after a landslip lasts year.
Specialist contractors are on site, initiating a programme expected to last approximately 12 weeks, aiming to reopen the road before the school holidays in July - a critical period for tourists in the area.
The landslip in November led to an emergency road closure, partially undermining the carriageway.
In response, immediate steps were taken to stabilize the ground, divert water from the site, and establish diversion routes and signage.
Emergency procurement processes enabled Westmorland and Furness Council to involve expert ground investigation teams, who conducted thorough surveys on the carriageway and the steep banking below.
After evaluating various strategies, including carriageway realignment and constructing a tiered concrete retaining wall, the approved plans focus on safeguarding the landscape and improving the slope's stability—protecting the highway and reducing future risks.
The reconstruction involves using special steel reinforcement bars, known as soil nails, installed into the slope, with a flexible steel mesh applied to stabilize the surface.
Follow-up measures include topsoil, seeding, and erosion-control matting to encourage vegetation growth, eventually concealing the mesh and soil nails.
Additionally, a new retaining wall faced with natural slate will replace the existing highway verge and upper embankment, and both the road surface and drainage will be renewed.
Councillor Peter Thornton, Westmorland and Furness Council’s Cabinet member for Highways and ICT, expressed his satisfaction with the progress, noting the road’s importance for local traffic and tourists accessing Kirkstone Pass and Ullswater Valley attractions.
“I’m thrilled we’ve moved swiftly with surveys, designs, and repairs, with the expectation of reopening the road for the summer holidays,” Councillor Thornton said.
He highlighted the challenges posed by the site’s location and the collaborative efforts with specialist contractors and landowners.
Throughout the repair process, local parish councils and businesses have been kept informed.
The council has also partnered with Cumbria Tourism to communicate that areas surrounding the closure—including Kirkstone Pass and Ullswater Valley villages—remain accessible and ‘open for business’.