Essential maintenance work on one of the steepest roads in England has been completed on schedule, reopening the key route to drivers across North Yorkshire.
The A170 at Sutton Bank, located between Thirsk and Helmsley on the edge of the North York Moors National Park, reopened on Sunday 4th October 2026 following a three-week closure. Carrying around 130,000 vehicles every year, the road requires annual upkeep due to its challenging one-in-four gradient.
During the closure, highways teams from North Yorkshire Council carried out rock face maintenance, laid a fresh road surface, replaced road markings, and upgraded the local drainage system.
Contractors adapted the drainage design during the project after discovering natural water springs serving two local properties along the route, diverting sections of the pipework to protect the domestic water supplies.
“It’s great news that this year’s annual maintenance programme at Sutton Bank is complete, and the route was reopened to traffic yesterday,” said Cllr Malcolm Taylor, Executive Member for Highways and Transport at North Yorkshire Council. “The closure allowed our teams to carry out a range of essential maintenance and improvements on this unique section of our road network safely. We would like to thank residents, businesses and motorists for their patience while the work was undertaken.”
The annual maintenance programme ensures the steep bank remains safe, resilient, and open for motorists throughout the remainder of the year.
