A motorist had a lucky escape after crashing into the barrier on the Butterubs this morning.
Emergency services were called to the scene after the collision on the moorland route between Wensleydale and Swaledale.
Fire crews and paramedics were called to the scene.
The vehicle appears to have been prevented from falling into the valley below by the wire safety barrier installed on the route.
A fire crew from Hawes were called to the scene at just after 8am this morning.
A spokesperson for North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service said: “A vehicle had left the road, collided with steel barriers and come to rest on a wire rope barrier protection system protecting them from the cliff edge.
“The occupants of the vehicle were out on arrival of the crews who then made the scene safe.”
History of Buttertubs Safety Barrier:
The Brifen wire safety barrier system was developed in the 1980s by engineer Graham Sharp while he was working for British Ropes in Gateshead
Originally selling wire ropes to the oil and gas industry in the Middle East, he identified their potential for roadside safety—particularly because wire barriers allow windblown sand to pass through.
Although earlier wire systems had been used on roads like the M62, a more advanced design was needed to meet modern safety standards. Over five years and with around £2 million of investment, the Brifen system was developed in partnership with the Department of Transport.
Its first installation came in North Yorkshire at Buttertubs Pass in the Yorkshire Dales, commissioned by North Yorkshire County Council. Around the same time, it was also installed on a stretch of the A1 between Darlington and Durham.
The system proved effective—particularly in exposed areas like Buttertubs, where its design allows snowploughs to push snow through without damaging the barrier.
Since its launch, Brifen has grown into a global success, now used in around 30 countries including the United States, Australia and South Africa.
