REPAIRS will begin on the Ampleforth to Oswaldkirk road on Monday, November 24 - nearly a year after it was originally closed for work.

Major geographical faults were found to be the root cause of the damage to the road, demanding extensive surveys and consultation regarding finance and design.

A £100, 000 plan has now been approved for the road.

"The delay has been caused because we've been trying to find a solution that we can afford and that is going to last for a long period of time," said Peter Renshaw, divisional engineer for North Yorkshire County Council.

"One of the problems has been that it's not just this section of the road that's affected. There are signs that slippage is moving towards Oswaldkirk and this is just the start of the problem."

Motorists have been using the road despite closure signs, but serious inconvenience has been caused to Ampleforth College.

Ryedale District councillor Jim Bailey said: "The road closure has caused serious problems for the college, which is one of the biggest employers in Ryedale. It is not so bad for other residents, because the road is still useable, but obviously for the college they are prevented legally from using a closed road, because if there was an accident they would be liable."

A spokesman for the college was delighted to hear the road is expected to be re-opened in the new year. 'The importance of the road to the abbey and college cannot be underestimated," she said. "You will appreciate the effects the closure is having for our parents, particularly for those whose children attend the schools, both here and at St Martin's Ampleforth, in Gilling, as day students.

"The St Alban Centre is Ryedale's largest leisure facility and good road links through to it are essential for us to promote its unique value to the locality.

"In addition, whilst the road remains closed, the traffic passing through the Ampleforth campus to access Gilling and onwards towards York has increased substantially. This has brought about wear and tear, not just for the county council's section of road from Gilling to Park House, but for our own private road."

The road repair plan involves the use of gabion baskets made of steel supplied by a firm of specialist contractors named Maccafferri. Excavation work will be carried out by local contractor Clark's of Kirkbymoorside. The road improvements are expected to last for the next 60 years.

Mr Renshaw apologised to motorists and residents for the long-term closure of the road and said he is pleased that this final plan has been approved.

"The alternative route, via the Ampleforth Beacon, will be treated as a priority one road, which means that in the event of snow fall, it will be salted immediately," he said.

Updated: 12:08 Wednesday, November 19, 2003