The Derbyshire roads closed by landslips - and why they keep happening on our highways

Highways chiefs have revealed what they are doing to reopen a number of Derbyshire roads closed by landslips.
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County Hall has faced criticism for the number of separate incidents which have shut routes in the Peak District – and for the amount of time it is taking to fix them.

The A57 Snake Pass is expected to be closed for another three weeks and there are a number of smaller routes likely to be shut for much longer.

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These include Lea Road, near Cromford, which has been shut to traffic since January 2020 – and could remain closed until February 2023.

Hell Bank, above Beeley, was closed by highways chiefs after being hit by two huge landslips. Image: Derbyshire County Council.Hell Bank, above Beeley, was closed by highways chiefs after being hit by two huge landslips. Image: Derbyshire County Council.
Hell Bank, above Beeley, was closed by highways chiefs after being hit by two huge landslips. Image: Derbyshire County Council.

Derbyshire County Council says the county is particularly prone to landslips due to its geology.

“The causes of landslips can be from scour, climate change, saturation, impact or fire,” a spokesperson said.

“Water from rainfall is often a driving factor and when combined with climate changes, the effects can be sudden and enormous, like we have seen recently at Snake Pass.

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“We carry out laser scanning to several slip sites to monitor change. Some landslips remain in a stable condition for years so we can carry out minor surfacing repairs to keep them open.

Damage caused by landslips on the A57 Snake Pass. Image: Derbyshire County Council.Damage caused by landslips on the A57 Snake Pass. Image: Derbyshire County Council.
Damage caused by landslips on the A57 Snake Pass. Image: Derbyshire County Council.

"Some sites that have been stable for 10 years plus, can start to move again, often following periods of exceptionally heavy rainfall.”

Other routes currently closed include Will Shores Lane, Oker, which has been closed since 2020. The council is unable to say when it will reopen.

Highways officials are also unable to give a reopening date for Hell Bank Road, Beeley, which has been shut since January 2021, Gold Lane, Mackworth, closed since March 2020, and Lees Road, Birchover, which slipped in a ‘catastrophic’ way in November 2019.

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It is expected Commonside Road, Barlow, will reopen in the summer of 2022, while Starkholmes’ White Tor Road will undergo ‘works in the 2022 to 2023 financial year’.

The council says a road’s ‘underlying geology’, which requires a period of monitoring with devices installed down boreholes, is key to a solution.

"This can take six months or more to gather the necessary information, ideally over the winter before moving to a design stage to ensure any solution is properly suitable for the location,” the spokesperson added.

"An incorrect solution can cause further damage.

"Two of the landslips on Snake Pass have been under a detailed monitoring regime from October 2020, with 20 boreholes installed down to 25m deep.

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“Often landslips take place where we have highway retaining walls.

"We estimate there are around 930km of roads held up by retaining walls in the county. Generally, these walls were not designed as they would be now.

“Once a road has slipped our main priority is the safety of those who use it and road closures are usually the only way we can do this.

"We do understand the inconvenience that these road closures cause, but we must take the time to understand each landslip and find a solution that will work.

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“We do need more funding to pay for the monitoring of the landslips that we have suffered, and to pay for the work needed to mend them, and this is something we are lobbying the Government for.

“In the meantime from 2020 to 2023 we are spending over £4m to fix a number of critical landslips.”