Thought we would have a day out in York yesterday (Friday 1st March) travelling over our usual route from Burnley through Skipton and Harrogate to York.
The road at the top of Skipton has signs that state 'No Through Traffic' - you can get as far as the roundabout at Bolton Abbey but from there the road over Blubberhouses is coned off. You have to go via Addingham, Ilkley and Otley to pick up the A65 again the other side of Harrogate.
Going wasn't too bad on a Friday morning, we got to the Park and Ride at 10:00 and left again to travel home at 2:00.
Coming back via the same route there had been a bad road accident at Addingham on the downhill 50mph section. Two air ambulances out plus ambulance fire and police - the road closed from the Addingham village turn off outside Ilkley all the way to the top of Skipton. Access was through Addingham Village which is narrow enough on a good day. Yesterday however with the A65 closure and the accident was pure chaos.
Hopefully the Skipton to Ilkley road is now clear again and the people involved in the accident are going to be OK.

Reading reports about the Blubberhouses route online when we eventually got back - the road has collapsed in places and its going to be a long time before its fixed. The signs say August.

So, If you are coming to the match Sunday and travelling this way - please give yourself plenty of time. Hopefully you won't be caught up in any jams like we experienced yesterday. Take care and stay safe.

I’d be amazed if it’s open for another 6 months, we don’t do quick and this isn’t a quick job either.

You can see their Leica total stations that are set up in fields monitoring the drift and land movement on the bends, they probably need to close it to heavy wagons full stop tbh

I was up at Nissan Sunderland yesterday morning, took me 2:45 to get up there via Ilkley etc

I’ll avoid trips to the North East were possible for now

There are better ways than the official diversion, have a look at a map.

Unless you're driving an HGV of course.

Last time I travelled that way, a few weeks ago, I went through grassington.

I have heard it’s the same contractors that’s doing the Kierby Roundabout and culvert so unlikely to be ready until we are back in the Premier League again, I would expect

My son regularly travels to Sunderland and he goes via Grassington.

Update feb 20th

North Yorkshire Council is unable to say when the A59 at Kex Gill between Harrogate and Skipton will reopen as the closure enters its third full week.
A real pain in the arse.
I am currently laid up following a hip op, due to return for the Brentford match. My mate who works for NYCC says it is unlikely to be open until early April, even later if this wet weather continues. Grassington best way but not when it’s dark. Otley/Ilkley add on another half an hour, sneaky way via West End had a copper turning cars back last weekend. So good luck lads and lasses tomorrow

I bet the company doing the Burnley town centre roadworks don't get the repair contract.

The issue that needs fixing could have been done in a couple of weeks. NYCC are playing games. They’re not bothered about that actual piece of road as it’s not a priority to them, it allows them more room to work in for their wagons, heavy duty equipment etc to carry on re-routing the new road. Incidentally it’s NYCC that caused it. I travel pass it every week and since the problem in question arose just over a month ago they’ve not touched it. There have been numerous complaints week in week out but they keep coming up with numerous excuses.

On a similar note, I recently downloaded the LoveCleanStreets app on my phone. Once you’ve registered you can report lots of different issues to your local council including pot holes. There is a facility to report the pot hole via your gps location and include a photo of the hole.
I’ve tried it and it works. Pot hole filled in within 3 days.

I never ever go that way, motorway all the way everytime for me

Still closed work not due to start until end of Month, if weather stays dry
Good luck tomorrow

I've pretty much given up going to York from East Lancashire even before the Kex Gill issues. Getting through Harrogate is a real pain.

For anyone going north of York, the A59 closure isn't that big a deal. The obvious detour through Pateley Bridge is almost as quick and very scenic. For anyone who's confident on country roads, you can also go cross country through the Dales up to Wensleydale and off towards the north east. Not ideal on a warm Sunday afternoon, but most of the time those roads are very quiet and if you're in no rush the extra 10 minutes or so on your journey is worth it for the stunning views.

Another spanner in the works on the official alternative route is at Burley in Wharfedale near where all the speed cameras are.
A massive housing expansion at the Ilkley end of Burley "requires" traffic management starting on Monday and it does not say how long for.
This was previously in situ a few weeks ago and the queues were horrendous.
It is stupid of the Highways to allow this on an official diversion that is already very busy.

NYCC are taking the Pi - - they could have fixed the current problem at the bottom end of kex gill in a few weeks. I had another look at it yesterday and it doesn’t look to me that anythings been done since. I’m in the Skipton area and with it being an A- road it’s affecting so much traffic, especially lorry drivers and the people who work in Harrogate and surrounding areas. Funnily enough I’ve written to NYCC again this morning ( as several others have/are doing) requesting answers to various questions. It was pointed out to me that NYCC are getting bombarded with calls, emails etc asking for answers. The bottom line is that the contractors cocked up ripping out trees and rubble right up to the road side hence a short length of that road has become unstable. Had this been in a certain country it would have been sorted in a few days.

I live in Ilkley and it's now quite often just as quick to walk from one side of the town to the other than drive.

thats where i first been a cooartin' Mary Jane

An absolute nightmare this when you have to go up to the North East at least twice a week

Heard it might be shut for another 6 weeks at least

ChorltonCharlie wrote: ↑

Fri Mar 15, 2024 10:59 am

For anyone going north of York, the A59 closure isn't that big a deal. The obvious detour through Pateley Bridge is almost as quick and very scenic. For anyone who's confident on country roads, you can also go cross country through the Dales up to Wensleydale and off towards the north east. Not ideal on a warm Sunday afternoon, but most of the time those roads are very quiet and if you're in no rush the extra 10 minutes or so on your journey is worth it for the stunning views.

It put an extra 40 minutes on my round trip and the view isn’t so good at night.

Going up to Newcastle for the England game on Monday. Would people who use this route regularly still advise going via Pateley Bridge? Don't fancy hitting Ilkley/Ottley around school finishing time....

Well it's still closed, I was on the A59 to Bolton Abbey today and the closure signs are still in place.

Otley can be a nightmare at any time, though isn't it half-term holiday right now?

My preference is to take the road through Grassington but rather than going through Pateley Bridge, I turn right at Greenhow Hill back down to the A59. It's pretty neutral in time terms but it's a much straighter road, with no villages, so driving speeds are much faster so you feel as though you are making more progress.

It’s a stunning drive on a nice day but keep an eye out for the mobile speed vans.

After one of the evening matches I decided to go back to Yorkshire via the M62. Only managed one stop before the M62 was closed with a back road diversion that resulted in my getting home after 1am.


There’s been calls for a bypass around Ilkley for years but no sign it will ever materialise.

We travel from just outside Skipton every week. At the moment we go via Grassington, Pately Bridge, Greenhow then onto Ripon. We confirm what Harrygate has said but there’s nothing much in it regarding drive time, it’s your own preference. It’s absolutely shocking the amount of time it’s taking for them to re-open Kex Gill. NYCC are still saying it’ll be completed by the end of June which will take it to 5 months since they closed it. I am still of the belief it should and could have been completed within 6 weeks.

beddie wrote: ↑

Wed May 29, 2024 6:30 pm

We travel from just outside Skipton every week. At the moment we go via Grassington, Pately Bridge, Greenhow then onto Ripon. We confirm what Harrygate has said but there’s nothing much in it regarding drive time, it’s your own preference. It’s absolutely shocking the amount of time it’s taking for them to re-open Kex Gill. NYCC are still saying it’ll be completed by the end of June which will take it to 5 months since they closed it. I am still of the belief it should and could have been completed within 6 weeks.

Totally deliberate if you ask me. Gives them space to get on with what they're doing with the new road without all that troublesome traffic to deal with.

jrgbfc wrote: ↑

Wed May 29, 2024 4:48 pm

Going up to Newcastle for the England game on Monday. Would people who use this route regularly still advise going via Pateley Bridge? Don't fancy hitting Ilkley/Ottley around school finishing time....

I travel between Newcastle and Burnley regularly
Pateley Bridge is the fastest route, but Otley not far behind
M6/A69 also an option. A little longer, but an easy drive, and an excuse to stop at Tebay

There is another way you can go, not sure if it's already been posted but we've done it a number of times either to Ripon, Harrogate or York. Basically you go through Bolton Abbey then up the road signed for Pateley Bridge. It's a very scenic route but is a single track road in places and adds 10-15 mins on, but it's worth it if you are not in too much of a hurry. You can also head off the A59 earlier towards via Leeds A65, then pick up signs towards York when you are close to Leeds, heading through Ilkley. I don't think you actually lose that much time with either route, but of course the Blubberhouses way is the best option but I know it's been closed for quite some time with that diversion in place. Typical British delays, quite why we take so long fixing roads is beyond me.

dougcollins wrote: ↑

Wed May 29, 2024 6:43 pm

Totally deliberate if you ask me. Gives them space to get on with what they're doing with the new road without all that troublesome traffic to deal with.

Exactly my thoughts Doug. I wrote to NYCC in early March for details of the work to be carried out together with time frames, I also told them what I thought was required, which it transpires they are doing, I also mentioned it could be done within 6 weeks tops. I could go into more detail but I’ll stop now. Needless to say they did not respond to me. I spoke with our local Councillor (seeking to become Mayor at the time) but NYCC even fobbed him off.

Just a heads up on this road. We need to be in Ripon on Sunday, so just been googling the re opening date.
Apparently reopening on Saturday morning the 23rd.....fingers crossed.

.....Saturday 22nd sorry.

Aclaret wrote: ↑

Fri Jun 21, 2024 8:59 am

Just a heads up on this road. We need to be in Ripon on Sunday, so just been googling the re opening date.
Apparently reopening on Saturday morning the 23rd.....fingers crossed.

6am tomorrow morning apparently

It actually opened late afternoon today, thank goodness it’s been a nightmare four months.

beddie wrote: ↑

Fri Jun 21, 2024 9:22 pm

It actually opened late afternoon today, thank goodness it’s been a nightmare four months.

No way! I didn't know that, thanks Beddie.

I'm in Ripon on Monday.

Anything that keeps the great unwashed out of Ilkley is to be applauded.

Alanstevensonsgloves wrote: ↑

Sat Jun 22, 2024 9:36 pm

Anything that keeps the great unwashed out of Ilkley is to be applauded.

Always avoid Ilkley if I can, just a bigger version of Silsden.

Crikey, that was closed when I visited in April. Ended up on a round trip through Grassington which is pretty... but was also pretty annoying as my navigation/GPS apparently wasn't up to date with roadworks

dougcollins wrote: ↑

Sat Jun 22, 2024 8:53 pm

No way! I didn't know that, thanks Beddie.

I'm in Ripon on Monday.

That's good news.

dougcollins wrote: ↑

Sat Jun 22, 2024 10:04 pm

Always avoid Ilkley if I can, just a bigger version of Silsden.

Correct!