Landslip-hit Derbyshire road set to reopen tomorrow after almost three years of closure

Lea Road, near Cromford, was first hit by a landslip in January 2020. Derbyshire County Council’s work to repair the route started the following year, but was then paused in May 2021 as the ground had started moving again.

The road was then due to be rebuilt in November 2021, when a further, more serious collapse took place. The scale of the movement caused a temporary piling platform, which was built to allow the installation of retaining piles, to move around two meters down towards the river.

Engineers then found a new solution and work has been underway since the summer of 2022 – with the route now set to reopen from noon tomorrow (Friday, December 2). This involved building into the riverbed and making a rock wall, which was built up and backfilled to the road level – for which special permission was required from the Environment Agency.

Cabinet Member for infrastructure and environment, Councillor Carolyn Renwick, said: “I’m delighted that the road is to reopen, and know how much this will mean to everyone who lives and has businesses locally.

READ THIS: Chesterfield cocaine driver who flipped car on A61 banned for two years

“Landslips are notoriously difficult to fix, particularly if they keep moving like this one did. But after an awful lot of hard work by our officers and contractors it will reopen around noon on December 2 2022.

“I’d like to thank everyone locally for their patience and understanding while the road was fixed.”

Bus services which serve the local area will return to normal service.