"Further and more extensive remedial work is now required" - Road in Sowerby Bridge closed after subsidence remains shut six months on

Part of Bairstow Lane is still closed off after subsidence occurred back in September, which was covered at the time by the Courier.

Calderdale Council’s Director of Regeneration and Strategy, Shelagh O’Neill, said: “Bairstow Lane in Sowerby Bridge remains closed, due to disturbance to the carriageway on land adjacent to Stonecroft Mount.

“The Council took immediate action, and after monitoring revealed the continued movement of the carriageway, engineering works were performed to prevent further deterioration. The Council’s quick action, in partnership with utility providers ensured the continued service of the many important utilities which are present in the road, including a large gas pipe, a water main supplying many homes in Sowerby Bridge, sewer pipes and telecoms services.

“Work has continued to monitor the ground and form a plan of action to enable the road to reopen and to protect the services which may be affected by the disturbance to the road.

“Original plans for repair, in partnership with the adjacent developer, have been complicated by bad weather, which has caused accelerated movement to the carriageway. As a result, further and more extensive remedial work is now required.

“The works to be undertaken at Bairstow Lane are significant, including earth profiling, the installation of foundation works and the use of specialist rock boring equipment. As a result of the prompt initial response to the situation and collaborative efforts made by the Council and utility providers, the future costs and construction timescales will be substantially reduced. We are hoping to complete works before the end of the year.

“This is a complex project and we thank residents for their patience whilst we complete these works. We understand that the closure is causing some inconvenience and we will do all we can to complete the works as quickly as possible, to enable the road to reopen and to continue to protect its many utility services.”