On Air Now

This is the Coast

Midnight - 8:00am

  • 01723 336444

Now Playing

Gladys Knight

Licence To Kill

Download
Listen Live Advertise

Should Whitby's West Cliff Lift be Replaced With Something Else?

Tuesday, 9 May 2023 06:00

By Matthew Pells

Whitby's Cliff lift is likely to remain closed this summer and a long term alternative may be needed.

The lift inside the West Cliff was closed in April last year when corrosion was discovered in it's structure.

Whitby’s lift, on North Terrace, is in a shaft within the cliff. Water has been getting into the shaft for many years but more recently the situation, combined with the humid environment, has worsened.

In January the old Borough Council said it is now at a point where elements of the lift structure are suffering from corrosion and that even new parts fitted at the beginning of one season they require replacing the following year.

Whitby Councillor - Phil Trumper - says it will be costly to fix and it might be time to consider an alternative.

Whitby Cliff Lift was opened in 1931 and it consists of a vertical shaft running down from the cliff top through the boulder clay, leading to a 221ft long pedestrian tunnel out to the beach.

However, it has faced numerous issues and closures over the years.

Last Summer the borough council introduced a free bus service for nine weeks over the summer to replace the lift.

Whitby Councillor Phil Trumper says that a temporary shuttle bus service will also be in place this summer, but newly elected Mayor of Whitby - Councillor Bob Dalrymple - says that causes problems for many people.

While Councillor Trumper has suggested that it might be time to look at longer term replacements for the lift, Whitby Town Councillor, Chris Riddollls, thinks that the cliff lift should be bought back into service whatever the cost.

Share

Did you find this article useful?

This is the Coast is committed to providing a daily local news service for the Yorkshire Coast. We are a small locally owned and operated business which employs professional journalists and reporters. We do not receive any public funding or grants and we are entirely funded by our local commercial operations. We enjoy fabulous support from local businesses who work with us on their advertising and marketing campaigns, but the cost of providing high quality, well researched, fact checked local news coverage is significant.

If you appreciate what This is the Coast does, and would like to help support our journalism, please consider supporting us on a monthly basis today.

A small contribution from all our readers would really help support independent journalism for the Yorkshire Coast.

More from Yorkshire Coast News

Comments

Add a comment

Log in to the club or enter your details below.

Follow Us

Get Our Apps

Our Apps are now available for iOS, Android and Smart Speakers.

  • Available on the App Store
  • Available on Google Play
  • Just ask Amazon Alexa
  • Available on Roku

Today's Weather

  • Scarborough

    Sunny

    High: 11°C | Low: 7°C

  • Filey

    Sunny

    High: 11°C | Low: 6°C

  • Whitby

    Sunny

    High: 11°C | Low: 7°C

  • Bridlington

    Sunny

    High: 11°C | Low: 6°C

  • Hornsea

    Sunny

    High: 11°C | Low: 7°C

  • Driffield

    Sunny intervals

    High: 11°C | Low: 7°C

News

© Copyright 2025 This is the Coast Limited. This is the Coast is licensed by PRS & PPL to stream music online. Powered by Aiir.