Protesters oppose landmark cliff lift closure

Protesters gathered at a historic cliff lift in Whitby to voice their opposition to council plans to permanently close the site.

The lift on the town's North Terrace, which opened in 1931, has been out of service since 2022 due to corrosion and water damage, with repair costs estimated at £5.5m.

If plans to permanently close it go ahead, North Yorkshire Council said the lift shaft and pedestrian tunnel to the beach would be infilled with concrete.

But Mayor of Whitby Sandra Turner, who was among the group protesting at the wind and rain-swept clifftop earlier, said: "This cliff lift is essential for access down to the sea."

"If you're disabled and have a mobility scooter - try going down that cliff path, it's impossible," she said.

The site consists of a lift within a vertical shaft running down from the road through the boulder clay, leading to the 221ft (67m) pedestrian tunnel out to the beach.

North Yorkshire Council said it would invite mining company Anglo American, which helped the authority assess the lift's current condition, to further investigate the impact of water damage over the winter period.

However, councillor Phil Trumper, who represents Whitby West Cliff and and started a public petition to save the lift, suggested the council carried out a "proper survey" to find the best way to save it.

He said he believed repair works could be carried out for less than the £5.5m figure estimated.

Currently there is a free replacement bus service to take people down to the Whitby sands, but Trumper said it was "not sufficient".

Previously a spokesperson for the council said the cost of operating the bus service in 2024 was £345 per day, with average daily passenger numbers varying monthly between 11 and 33.

Andy Jefferson, from the Whitby Community Network, claimed that without the lift, Whitby could lose its prestigious blue flag accessible beach award.

Disabled access is an "imperative" condition of obtaining and keeping blue flag status, he said, and if lost would be "significantly" detrimental for local tourism.

Karl Battersby, corporate director of environment at North Yorkshire Council, said the authority was "not taking a decision lightly".

"There would be significant costs for repairs and ongoing maintenance and there remains uncertainly around the need for waterproofing," he said.

"We've listened to the views of the local community and executive members will make a decision on 17 March to ensure we use taxpayers' money wisely."

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