Scarborough & Whitby MP Adds Voice To Cliff Lift Debate

Alison Hume has lent her voice to those wanting North Yorkshire Council to intervene and save Whitby's West Cliff Lift.

The MP for Scarborough and Whitby has urged the council to invest in the ‘golden tourism goose’ of Whitby amid plans to permanently close the town’s Cliff Lift.

​A local demonstration against plans to permanently close Whitby Cliff Lift was held at the lift on Thursday, February 12, with around 70 people in attendance.

​Dozens of people turned out despite the heavy rain and strong wind to make clear their opposition to the scheme which has been recommended for approval by North Yorkshire Council next month.

​​​The lift on Whitby’s North Terrace, which opened in 1931, has been out of service since 2022 due to corrosion and water ingress, with repair costs estimated at £5.5 million.

​Whitby Community Network, an organiser of the demonstration, highlighted the “critical importance” of the lift to residents:

“Setting aside the fact that the Cliff Lift building is actually a non-designated heritage asset and so should be proportioned a level of protection, it has a critical importance.

​“That is, providing access to Whitby sea wall to the many elderly and disabled people who either live in the town or visit – the town has double the national average of over 60s, and the visitor age profile is not seen as so dissimilar.”

​Alison Hume, the MP for Scarborough and Whitby, said:

“The Whitby Cliff Lift is part of Whitby’s identity as well as providing vital access to the beach from the West Cliff.

​“I fully support Cllr Phil Trumper’s efforts to ensure that the Conservative-run North Yorkshire Council renovate and reopens the lift.

​“This is a good opportunity for Northallerton to invest in a town which brings so much value to the county as a golden tourism goose.”

​A petition to save the Cliff Lift launched by Cllr Trumper, a Conservative who represents the Whitby West division,  has collected almost 6,000 signatures.

​The next meeting of the Scarborough and Whitby Area Committee is set to be held at Whitby Pavilion on March 2, and councillors have said they will use the meeting to hold NYC to account over the lift’s proposed closure.

​North Yorkshire Council’s corporate director of environment, Karl Battersby, said:

“We understand how important access to the seafront in Whitby is for residents and visitors alike. The cliff lift has been a staple of the town’s history, and we are not taking a decision lightly.

​“For the lift to be brought back into use, there would be significant costs for repairs and ongoing maintenance, and there remains uncertainty surrounding the need for waterproofing the shaft.

​“We have listened to the views of the local community and our executive members will discuss its future on March 17, considering how many people used it and making an informed decision that ensures we use taxpayers’ money wisely.”

​This week, Anglo American said it had carried out a follow-up visit to the lift in January and “overall, conditions appeared similar to our previous visit in August, and our original recommendations remain unchanged”.

​Last August, the company said “it would appear that the shaft is relatively dry, with no significant water ingress” and suggested that “the main source of water in the shaft is due to moisture accumulation (condensation), related to a lack of adequate ventilation”.

​However, the company now noted “an isolated source of water inflow near the top of the shaft that needs further investigation”.

​The current proposal for NYC’s executive committee is for the council to decommission the lift and remove the top building at a cost of £232,000.

​​​“This option involves the removal of the top section of lift equipment to ensure the system is safe. A reinforced concrete capping slab would be required to close off the top of the main shaft,” a report states.