Sutton Bank route to close for annual maintenance

Sutton Bank is a popular beauty spot attracting thousands of visitors each year

Sutton Bank is to be closed for more than a week to allow for routine roadworks, North Yorkshire Council has said.

The steep A170 route linking Thirsk and Scarborough requires annual maintenance and will shut for eight days from Sunday morning.

The authority said the work will ensure the rock face remains structurally sound, with improvements to the road surface also taking place.

The work is due to be completed and the road reopened by 19:00 BST on 14 September.

What is Sutton Bank?

Sutton Bank offers extensive views and is a popular spot for walking

Sutton Bank is a hill between Helmsley and Thirsk in the North York Moors National Park and is a popular beauty spot attracting thousands of visitors each year.

It is the highest point in the Hambleton Hills and offers extensive views across the Vale of York.

The A170 runs down the bank in a single carriageway with a maximum gradient of 1 in 4 (25%) and includes a hairpin bend.

The A170 climbs 524 ft (160m) from the Vale of York to the top of the North York Moors in under a mile.

Vehicles have to keep in a low gear whilst travelling up or down the bank and caravans are required to take an alternative route.

According to the council, an average of 120 goods vehicles a year fail to make it up the bank and require police help to proceed.

Annual maintenance work includes checking the integrity of the rock face

Why does it need to be closed?

North Yorkshire Council says the closure means essential maintenance work on the rock face can be carried out to prevent rock falls.

The council will also cut back overhanging vegetation and carry out any necessary repairs to the road surface and to signs and barriers.

Access to premises on the bank will be maintained "whenever possible" during the closure, the council said.

However, a spokesperson warned there "may be times when access will be restricted".

What alternative routes are there?

A signed diversion will be in place during the work, with further details available on North Yorkshire Council's website.

Alternative routes to Scarborough for those with caravans and those who wish to avoid Sutton Bank when it is open include:

• From the North (via Middlesbrough and Whitby) - A1(M) to junction 60 then A689, A19, A174, A172, A1043, A171

• From the South (via York and Malton) - A1(M) to junction 44 then A64

• From Thirsk - A19 (North) and A171 via Whitby or A19 (South) to York and A64 via Malton

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