It's the final phase of work to improve safety around Spennithorne railway bridge.

The final phase of work to improve safety around Spennithorne railway bridge, which takes the A684 over the Wensleydale Railway line between Constable Burton and Harmby, is scheduled to begin this month.  The North Yorkshire County Council scheme involves improvements to signals and follows the earlier work at the end of last year. That involved construction of a service vehicle lay-by, moving the stop line and signage and replacing crash barriers.

The signal improvements are scheduled to begin on Monday, 17 August. Some minor electrical work will be carried out during the day under temporary traffic lights, but the remainder of the work, including resurfacing, will require a closure of the A684.  To minimise disruption, the work will be carried out at night. The closures will be in place on weekdays only from 8pm to 6am from 17 August until 3 September. The road is scheduled to reopen fully on 4 September.

Local County Councillor Karin Sedgwick said: “We are very conscious of the importance of this route, particularly to farm vehicles at this time of year. That’s why we have pushed the road closures as far into the night as we can, to minimise disruption as much as possible.  We apologise for any inconvenience. The benefits of the work will be seen in more responsive traffic signals improving safety and reducing waiting times at the bridge.”

The work will include the decommissioning of the existing signals, installation of new ducting, power supply and equipment, including traffic signals, followed by resurfacing of the road.  Advance notice signs will be displayed and a diversion will be in place via the A6108 Leyburn/Barden Moor/Patrick Brompton.

The scheme is among those funded by a County Council bid to the Department for Transport’s Safer Roads Fund, which addresses issues on the 50 highest-risk A roads in the country.