Council urged to ‘stop and think’ ahead of Whitby Cliff Lift’s permanent closure amid safety concerns
Council bosses have been urged to reconsider the permanent closure of Whitby’s Cliff Lift days before a decision is due to be made.
Whitby’s historic lift could be permanently decommissioned and a replacement bus service axed if current proposals are approved by North Yorkshire Council’s executive committee on Tuesday, March 17.
It comes as the coastguard rescued a man after a fall on Whitby Cliff path this week and councillors highlighted the safety implications of the permanent closure.
Whitby’s North Cliff Lift opened in 1931 but has been closed since 2022 due to corrosion and water damage, with “worst-case” repairs estimated to cost £5.5m, according to North Yorkshire Council.
Campaigners, Scarborough and Whitby’s MP, and local councillors have called for the lift – which links North Terrace to the beach below – to be repaired, saying it “is not a luxury, it’s a necessity”.
At a meeting last week, one resident said a free bus service which runs during the summer to replace the lift was not adequate for elderly people and those with disabilities.
The executive committee has also been recommended to discontinue the free replacement bus service.
However, Chris Bourne, the council’s head of harbours and coastal infrastructure, said the council was not denying disabled people access to the beach, and that slipways and ramps could also be used.
On Tuesday, March 10, Whitby’s Coastguard Rescue Team was dispatched to help a man who was found partway down the Whitby cliff path slope with a suspected hip injury after falling from his scooter.
Residents and a local councillor have said the incident demonstrated the importance of the Cliff Lift for older people and those with disabilities.
Cllr Neil Swannick, who represents Whitby Streonshalh division on North Yorkshire Council, said: “When the executive committee meets in Malton next Tuesday morning to consider the future of the Whitby Cliff Lift, I hope they will stop and think about the consequences of closing the only safe route to the beach for people with disabilities and destroying an attraction which generations of Whitby residents and visitors have enjoyed.
He said: “Local councillors are urging them to consider a new option which could result in getting the lift working again.”
The Whitby Coastguard Rescue Team noted: “Steep coastal paths can be challenging terrain, particularly when using mobility aids.
“If you ever see someone in difficulty along the coast, call 999 and ask for the Coastguard.”