A57 Snake Pass: Road to reopen with weight limit

A road that has seen a mass protest over its closure is to reopen - but with restrictions.

The A57 Snake Pass in Derbyshire was shut to motor vehicles on 24 February after heavy rain caused landslips.

But its closure to cyclists two weeks later prompted protests and even the threat of legal action.

The county council has confirmed the route will reopen on Tuesday afternoon but with a 7.5 tonne weight restriction and a series of traffic light sections.

The road is notorious for its twisting route over high moorland and being affected by bad weather.

Last month, storms caused sections to crack, forcing the local authority to close it to car and lorries for at least four weeks.

But when it was also shut to cyclists, it led to a number of complaints, with many disputing the idea the 12-mile route was unsafe for them.

About 100 cyclists took part in a "trespass" by travelling along the closed road.

Cabinet member for highways assets and transport, Kewal Singh Athwal, said: "I'd like to thank everyone who usually uses the Snake Pass for their patience during the temporary road closure.

"We recognise many road users rely on this route for their businesses and day-to-day work.

"Following very careful monitoring of the road during the past four weeks, we believe we have a sensible approach to reopen the road while keeping all road users safe."

Duncan Dollimore, Cycling UK's head of campaigns, said: "Cycling UK is pleased to see common sense has prevailed and the council is now considering which people and vehicles should be allowed on Snake Pass, rather than imposing a blanket ban on everyone from a walker to an HGV.

"Given the history of landslips on the Snake Pass, which clearly aren't caused by cyclists and walkers, we hope the council will take a more measured approach when considering who will be banned from the road in the future."

Three sections will have traffic lights and a 20mph speed limit.

Before the closure, the route was used by 30,000 vehicles each week, including 1,500 HGVs, the council said.

Follow BBC East Midlands on Facebook, on Twitter, or on Instagram. Send your story ideas to [email protected].