Drivers raise serious concerns over Kex Gill traffic delays

Motorists have reported major delays at Kex Gill, with one driver claiming journeys through the area were hit by hold-ups of almost two hours.

Ed Page, from Harrogate, said he was caught in the delays at midday on Sunday while travelling to the town.

He said: “There were serious problems for motorists coming from both sides. Reports of delays over 100 minutes to pass a tiny stretch of road.”

Mr Page said he believed the temporary traffic lights were causing the problems and were potentially “out of sync”, creating chaos at the entry and exit points.

He also said there were no police officers or people in high-visibility jackets present, adding: “I feared for the safety of people stuck in cars on a fairly hot day.”

Another motorist, Kathleen Roberts, said on Facebook that she had experienced similar delays on Friday.

She said: “We waited 45 minutes just to get to the first traffic light on the Harrogate side.

“Only six cars were getting through before the lights changed, and there was hardly any traffic on the Skipton side.”

Ms Roberts said she had reported the issue to North Yorkshire Highways, who told her they would sort it.

But the council has said it had not received any complaints relating to traffic issues at Kex Gill on Sunday, August 16.

North Yorkshire Council’s corporate director of environment, Karl Battersby, said: “We appreciate the frustration caused by any traffic delay and we want to reassure road users that the traffic lights are constantly monitored to spot any issues.”

He said signal timings are frequently reviewed by the council’s contractor and that teams on site regularly drive the route to check the system is operating as efficiently as possible.

A new A59 route at Kex Gill is expected to open within weeks, marking the final stage of the major £82.5m highways project.

The 4.2km road is being built to replace the existing landslip-prone section of the A59 between Harrogate and Skipton.

Most of the new road is expected to open by early September, with the council saying it will provide motorists with a safer and more reliable route.

Mr Battersby said: “The majority of the new road is expected to open in the next few weeks, so we ask road users for their patience while we complete this vital highways project.”