‘Vital’ Whitby road which closed after landslip to remain so until 2027
Glen Esk Road has been closed since August 2024
Last updated 9th Jun 2026
A route through North Yorkshire that closed after a landslip almost two years ago will not be repaired until 2027.
Glen Esk Road, which links Ruswarp to Larpool Lane on the outskirts of Whitby, has been closed since August 2024.
However, despite assurances that works would start this year, North Yorkshire Council (NYC) has pushed back the repair date until next year.
The authority said it “aimed to deliver the works as soon as possible in 2027”.
Cllr Linda Wild. a member of Whitby Town Council, said she was “very disappointed on behalf of the people in Whitby”.
Speaking at a meeting of the Scarborough and Whitby Area Committee last week, she said: “Danger Bank is the local name for the steep section of Glen Esk Road linking Whitby to Ruswarp.
“The road has been closed since August 2024 due to a major road slip and is causing local traffic to take annoying, longer alternative routes, thus causing congestion elsewhere.
“NYC indicate that they have been reviewing funding and as a result, major repairs to this road will take place later this year.
“Can NYC please confirm that funding is now in place and the necessary repairs to Danger Bank will be undertaken in 2026 to rectify this longstanding problem that causes great inconvenience to local traffic and all road users?”
The chair of the committee, Cllr Liz Colling, read out a response on behalf of NYC which acknowledged that “design and funding were in place for the repair works to be carried out in 2026.
“However, following further extensive slippage over the winter period, the original design is no longer considered feasible and it cannot be amended in time to allow the works to proceed this year.
“An option to review is currently underway with a revised design to be developed this year with the aim of delivering the works as soon as possible in 2027.”
In February, a council spokesperson said: “We appreciate the inconvenience the closure is causing and are committed to reopening the road as soon as possible.”