MOTORISTS travelling between South Lakeland and Yorkshire this summer face a lengthy diversion as urgent maintenance work on the A65 is carried out.

The major transport artery, which carries 10,000 vehicles each day, now has such a poor surface, with cracking and crazing that there is the potential for increased noise and a higher risk of skidding if it is not replaced, according to the Highways Agency.

The trunk road connects Bradford, Leeds and other towns in West Yorkshire to South Lakeland and Cumbria, and is a major route of regional and local importance for business, leisure and tourism, commuter and local shopping traffic.

The work, around the villages of Gargrave and Hellifield, will take around ten weeks but will be stopped over the Spring Bank Holiday period. The start dates are May 7 for Gargrave and May 15 for Hellifield.

The Highways Agency said that, in places, the road was too narrow to allow construction equipment to pass safely and therefore sections would have to be closed. While the work was taking place, there would be a diversion via the A682 and A59 through Gisburn.

The agency said everything was being done to ensure as little disruption as possible.

Westmorland and Lonsdale MP and shadow transport secretary Tim Collins

said he would ask some Parliamentary Questions of the Department of

Transport to ensure that as many resources as possible were being committed to the job so it would be done

quickly.

Details of the work can be found on the Internet at http://www.gargrave-hellifield-roadworks.co.uk

May 2, 2003 10:00