Bishopdale Bridge is in an even worse state, Councillor Alison Sayer reported at the last meeting of Aysgarth and District Parish Council.
“A great big chunk has fallen into the river. It is disintegrating,” she said.
She explained that some heavily loaded wagons had caused further damage and a resident had sent photographs to the county council’s highways department.
Cllr Sayer added: “We can’t have the road closed [through Bishopdale] because it is an ambulance route.”
Ambulance drivers from Pateley Bridge, Ripon and Harrogate use that route, the councillors were told.
There was also concern that nothing had been done, as yet, to repair the road between Thornton Rust and Cubeck. Councillor David Pointon reported: “The edge of the road is falling away. Thankfully the A684 has not been flooded this year – yet!”
Traffic is diverted through Thornton Rust when the A684 between Aysgarth and Worton is flooded.
It was pointed out that both of these issues have been regularly reported to the highways department for over two years.
Yore Mills. – Councillors Peter Windle and Robert Walker reported on the meeting at Yore Mills with Roger Jackson, the regeneration consultant brought in by the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority.
The councillors said Mr Jackson had told them that he was talking to all the key people and trying to assess all the possible options for the restoration of Yore Mills.
Cllr Windle informed the parish council that at their meeting with Mr Jackson they had said that their concerns were the safety of the building and the danger to the public, and that if the owners weren’t going to repair it, then it ought to be compulsory purchased.
The parish council agreed that it would be better to restore it as it was an important part of the history of Aysgarth.
Richmondshire District Councillor Yvonne Peacock said she had told the consultant that the mill had to come into public ownership and under the responsibility of a trust before anyone could start looking for grants to restore it.
The problem will be finding a use for it which created sufficient income after it is restored as no grants were available for ongoing maintenance, she added.
