Work to repair the sinkhole in St Leonard’s Place, outside the Theatre Royal, is due to start at 9.30am on Tuesday morning (May 27) and City of York Council expects it to take around two weeks.
St Leonard’s Place will be closed to traffic heading towards the city centre from Bootham Bar.
Traffic heading out of York from Museum Street in the direction of Bootham and Gillygate will still be able to use St Leonard’s Place.
The closure means traffic coming into York from the direction of Bootham, will be diverted along Gillygate and around the inner ring road.
The sinkhole in St Leonard’s Place, York, has been covered ahead of work to repair it (Image: Newsquest) Cllr Kate Ravilious, the council’s executive member for transport said, said the inner ring road is expected to be “very busy so we’re asking people to plan ahead”.
She said the council is urging people to consider leaving cars at home and taking the bus, walking or cycling into the city centre.
“While some buses are being diverted they will continue to serve communities across the city and information is available at www.york.gov.uk/StLeonardsPlace,” Cllr Ravilious said.
“York is very much open for business throughout these works and we hope the travel information on our website will help those get around the city this half-term.”
The council’s diversion route in blue for traffic heading into York during the St Leonard’s Place closure (Image: City of York Council) The announcement comes after temporary traffic lights installed in St Leonard’s Place on Thursday while the sinkhole was being inspected were removed for the bank holiday weekend.
As The Press reported, the council said the temporary measures had been removed to allow traffic to flow during the closure of Queen Street.
The council is yet to reveal what caused the void.
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Meanwhile, Queen Street is due to close at 7pm today (Saturday, May 24) for the latest work on the Station Gateway project.
The work will see new road surfaces laid over the temporary route – introduced last year to keep traffic moving while Queen Street Bridge was demolished.
York railway station and nearby businesses will remain open during the closure.
Pedestrians and cyclists will remain able to access the station via the gates in Lowther Terrace during the closure.
Bus routes will continue to operate but some routes will be diverted due to the closure, the council said.
Cllr Ravilious said the council is working with its contractor, John Sisk and Son (Sisk), to minimise disruption.
The Station Gateway project, expected to cost £25.7 million, will completely transform the area in front of York station.
It aims to provide a new transport interchange, public space and improved setting for the City Walls.







































