North Yorkshire Council says the out of service cliff lift could cost over a million pounds to repair.
The lift inside Whitby's West Cliff was closed in April 2022 when corrosion was discovered in it's structure. Since then the lift has remained closed and for the past thee summers has been replaced with a shuttle bus service.
The 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 2023 the old Borough Council said it was 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 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.
In a new freedom of information request, North Yorkshire Council were asked what the current estimated cost of repairing the cliff lift is. The council say:
"In 2022 the estimate of cost to restore the lift to working order was £400k including replacement lift car and mechanisms, remediate
internal staircase, electrical rewire etc.However, please note restoring the lift to working order does not address the issue causing the problems which is water ingress and ventilation.
The cost now including solving these issues is estimated at over £1m."
The council was also asked about the cost of running the replacement bus service, which the authority says is seen as the only alternative to permit disabled public access to Whitby sea wall and beach.
The council says that replacement bus service cost £345 per day to operate and that for the 2024 season, running from 01 May until 29 September, this is a total of £52,440.
Asked whether the free minibus service will run for 2025-2026 and onwards the council replied:
"At this time, we are unable to confirm future plans for the replacement minibus."
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