Scarborough and Whitby seafront roads to close this weekend, with large crowds expected as businesses reopen

North Yorkshire County Council has today announced that Pier Road in Whitby will be closed off to traffic.

A spokesman for the authority said the closure will be in place from 10.30am on Saturday and Sunday for “as long as necessary”.

The decision has been made by the county council in consultation with Scarborough Borough Council and North Yorkshire Police.

Richard Marr, Highways area manager, said: “We are concerned that the reopening of many businesses on the seafront will draw large crowds over the weekend.

“There is a particular fear on Pier Road, where social distancing would be hard to maintain if the road were to remain open.

“We are pleased to welcome visitors back to Whitby but urge people to be aware of the restrictions in place.

“Everybody has a role to play. We apologise for any inconvenience the closure may cause but it is a decision we had to make to ensure public safety.”

Stuart Clark, Scarborough Borough Council Parking, CCTV and Venues manager, added: “The number of people visiting Whitby since the coronavirus restrictions started to ease has increased significantly each week.

"This is great news for local businesses, but we do need to ensure people have the best chance possible to practise social distancing and stay safe, especially with the reopening of hospitality businesses from tomorrow.

“Working with North Yorkshire County Council, we’ve identified Pier Road as a particularly busy area, exacerbated by narrow pavements, so closing the road to traffic will help pedestrians to enjoy Whitby more safely.”

As with last weekend, the landward side of Foreshore Road in Scarborough will once again be closed to traffic between 10am and 5pm, with some parking bays suspended.

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