THE reconstruction of a North Yorkshire road which was badly damaged by floodwaters earlier this year is expected to cost about £6.5 million and take six months.

The A19 south of Selby was closed on safety grounds between Chapel Haddlesey and Eggborough in February after floodwaters eroded its embankment, causing some of the carriageway to subside and crack.

The damaged was caused when the River Aire overtopped its banks and created a huge flood plain, with floodwaters lapping across the top of the road and against the carriageway side.

North Yorkshire County Council said today it was expected to take about six months to rebuild the road and it had awarded the contract to Balfour Beatty through the Scape National Civil Engineering Framework (SNCEF).

David Bowe, the council’s corporate director of business and environmental services, said: “The investigation and design process was inevitably delayed by very slow dissipation of water, the Covid-19 pandemic and the availability of specialist ground investigation radar.

“However, with a contractor appointed and a preliminary review of remedial options complete, we anticipate work starting very soon.”

Cllr Don Mackenzie, executive member for access, said the authority was working with Balfour Beatty to look at ways to reduce the duration of the works, thus minimising the disruption to the travelling public and local communities. "As soon as we have a detailed programme, we will inform the public," he added.