Warning ahead of A684 essential repair works
Drivers are being warned ahead of essential repair and reconstruction works on the A684 between Sedbergh and Garsdale Head.
The works are due to start next month and will take place at four separate sites between June and October along a 10-mile stretch of the road.
Westmorland and Furness Council says sections of the A684 will need to be closed to all traffic during much of this period.
The high-priority repairs include rebuilding retaining walls and reconstructing river culverts, which the council says are vital to protect the road from landslip damage, flooding and carriageway collapse.
A spokesperson 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 these works 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 works on the A684 while it was being used as a diversion route during the Dent Head landslip works 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.”
The four schemes planned for the A684 are:
- 22 June to 17 July: Reconstruction of River Clough retaining wall. Location: What3words ///wheat.clots.recount
- July/August: Smorthwaite culvert retaining wall repair, due to start after the River Clough project is completed. Location: What3words ///elephant.vibrating.lunching
- September: Reconstruction of Bellow Hill culvert, including 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: Replacement of Potgill Holme cattle grid. Location: What3words ///formation.merchant.responded
Exact dates for the later schemes are still to be finalised and will be publicised once the projects have been successfully tendered and all necessary statutory and legal approvals, including environmental consents, have been obtained.
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.
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 council says the diversion is not suitable for vehicles over 15’9” in height due to a low bridge on the B6259.
Additional temporary restrictions will also be introduced on nearby 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 be in place between 22 June and 27 November, preventing other works by utility companies and third parties in a bid to minimise disruption.
The spokesperson 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 works 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.”