Closure Extension of York City WallsClosure Extension of York City Walls A portion of York’s city walls will remain closed for an additional month, extending the original closure from six weeks to seven. The affected stretch between Station arrival and Micklegate beam will now be closed until Friday, July 26, 2024. The decision was made due to unforeseen ground conditions during the demolition of the Queen Street Bridge, which is part of the Station Gateway development. Unexpected delays in equipment and pile driving operations necessitated the extension. The closure is necessary to ensure safety for visitors, as the work requires steep slopes and the use of a concrete hose discharge pipe, posing a risk of falling or spraying. Marshals will not be deployed to monitor the walls due to limited space and cost considerations. Additionally, the municipality is exploring a permanent safety solution by installing stainless steel safety bars in areas with increased fall risks. This project is estimated to cost approximately £20,000 and has a short lead time for completion. The city walls are expected to reopen on Friday, July 26, 2024, or earlier if the risk assessment permits.
York City Walls near Station Road. Photo: YorkMix
Part of York’s city walls will remain closed for another month.
The stretch between Station arrival And Micklegate beam will remain closed until Friday, July 26.
The walls were due to reopen on Friday after being closed for six weeks, but City of York Council has decided to keep them closed.
This is due to work to demolish the Queen Street Bridge as part of the Station Gateway development.
“The extension of the closure is necessary due to unexpected ground conditions which required further design of the piles, and an equipment failure which delayed the pile driving operation,” said a report by Neil Ferris, the council’s operations director.
“The four-week closure will allow for safety measures to be put in place, allowing the walls to be safely opened from Friday 26 July 2024, or earlier, subject to a further risk assessment.”
He adds that “I note that work is planned before the summer holidays to find a solution to enable access”.
York’s city walls overlook the demolition of the Queen Street bridge. Photo: York Mix
Consideration was given to reopening the walls during the works, but “without implementing or considering safety measures, the health and safety risks cannot be addressed”.
That meant people walking on the walls were at greater risk of falling down the steep slope, or being sprayed from the concrete hose discharge pipe during pile driving.
“Deploying marshals to monitor the public on the walls is not seen as practical given the lack of space on the walls and the associated costs,” the report said.
The municipality is considering a permanent safety solution by installing 25 mm stainless steel safety bars. This is the case in other parts of the walls where there is an increased risk of falling.
Mr Ferris writes: “This option will be explored by the Council’s Ancient Monuments manager in conjunction with Historic England.
“The estimated cost of this permanent solution is approximately £20,000, with a short lead time and an estimated delivery period of two weeks.”
