PLANNED landslip works at Kex Gill on the A59 between Skipton and Harrogate have failed to win government funding.

But work will continue looking at the feasibility of future work, including the possible relocation of the stretch of road to the other side of the valley.

Future proposals were part of a £28 million bid by North Yorkshire County Council to the government's Highways Maintenance Challenge Fund.

But the bid, which also included planned landslip work at Swaledale, with around a third going to Kex Gill, was turned down.

“The announcement for the landslips package is not totally unexpected”, said County Councillor Gareth Dadd, executive member with responsibility for highways.

“The schemes are at a very early stage of development and it would have been very challenging to deliver them by the 2018 deadline for the funding."

Work costing £200,000 was last carried out at Kex Gill early last year when the road was closed for six weeks. It followed earlier strengthening work carried out in 2011.

Barrie Mason, assistant director business and environmental services, said they would continue to carry out feasibility work at the site to see what could be done to protect the vital route from future closures from landslips.

He said that meant also looking at the feasibility of re-locating the stretch of road, to the other side of the valley, and away from the bank.

"We do recognise it as a strategic route in the county, with a lot of traffic using it, and that is why we continue to look at ways to improve it, " he said.

He said money had been put aside for investigations at the site and the slope would continue to be regularly monitored.