Extra £11.7m Needed to Secure Future of A59 Through Kex Gill Bypass
It would take the total cost of the project to at least £82.5 million
North Yorkshire Council is set to consider an additional £11.7 million investment in its flagship Kex Gill bypass scheme.
The project aims to reroute a key four-kilometre stretch of the A59 near Blubberhouses, which has been plagued by repeated closures due to landslips. Since 2000, there have been 15 such incidents, costing more than £6 million in repairs and causing major disruption for local communities, businesses, and commuters.
Work on the bypass is already under way and remains on track for completion by spring 2026. However, councillors will be asked on Tuesday, May 13, to approve the additional funding to cover essential design changes and unexpected costs encountered during construction. If approved, the total project budget — excluding an additional contingency being requested — would rise to £82.5 million.
Cllr Keane Duncan, North Yorkshire Council’s executive member for highways and transportation, said: “Repeated closures of the A59 cause misery for our local communities, businesses and road users. Without the new bypass, there is a significant risk of further costly and disruptive closures that could ultimately threaten the road’s long-term future."
He added that although the need for extra funding was unfortunate, the scheme is making strong progress. “We are keen to ensure work continues at pace and the new road can open to the public as quickly as possible.”
The Kex Gill scheme is expected to deliver improved reliability and safety along one of the county’s most important east-west routes, helping to secure its future for decades to come.