Snake Pass closed: Peak District route will be shut for urgent road repairs at landslip sites

The A57 Snake Pass will be closed to all traffic for five days from Monday, May 22, for resurfacing works to be carried out at Gillot Hey and Wood Cottage.

Due to the extensive nature of the repairs and the narrow width of the single carriageway, the road will be closed to all users, including pedestrians and cyclists, in both directions from the summit of the Snake Pass to the turning for the Upper Derwent visitor centre at Fairholmes.

A signed diversion will be in place during the works using the A57 Bamford, A6013, A6187, B6049, A623, A6, A624, and the A57 to Glossop.

The two sections of the route due for repair this month were badly damaged by heavy rainfall in February last year, during Storms Eunice and Franklin, causing major landslips of up to two metres. At the time, traffic lights at Gillot Hey and Wood Cottage, a 20mph speed limit and a 7.5 tonne HGV weight limit were put in place to protect the road from any further damage.

Following the wintry weather and recent heavy rainfall, urgent repairs are now needed which include removing the existing cracked and damaged road and replacing it with a new, much smoother surface.

To minimise inconvenience and delays for local road users, the county council intends to carry out a range of other works while the road is closed including repairing the route’s retaining walls, surface dressing, pothole repairs and clearing out road drains to minimise surface water flooding.

During the works, access will be maintained for local residents in the area, deliveries and for farmers moving heavy equipment and their livestock.

Derbyshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Highways Assets and Transport, Councillor Kewal Singh Athwal said: “With the weather conditions now improving, we’ve taken the opportunity to carry out repairs to the two sections of road damaged by the last year’s landslips as soon as we could and before the busy bank holiday weekend.

“It’s a challenging location for our team, working on some of the highest ground in the county and in an exposed, rural location on a narrow stretch of road.

“The sites have already slipped and we want to make sure we have the time and space to successfully carry out the complex resurfacing repairs. The road is also used by heavy farm vehicles throughout the day and night and our own team will be out and about with heavy machinery to carry out the repairs.

“This is why we have decided to close the road from the summit of the Snake Pass to the turning for the Upper Derwent visitor centre at Fairholmes to make sure we keep the public safe, to minimise the risk of collisions between vehicles and to help our team complete the works as quickly as possible.

“I’d like to thank everyone who uses the Snake Pass for their patience while we complete these essential repairs.”

Once the repairs have been completed, the traffic lights at Gillot Hey and Wood Cottage will be removed. A 20mph speed limit and traffic lights will remain at Alport, the site of last year’s other landslip along the Snake Pass.

Geotechnical site surveys have been undertaken at the three sites affected by last year’s landslips - Gillot Hey, Wood Cottage and Alport - to help understand how to repair the existing slips, the likely cost and the chance of any further landslips in the future.

The county council is awaiting the final copy of the survey reports at the end of this year including costs, to help identify potential solutions for the future of the sites affected by the landslips.