Landslip repairs on hold after Lowick residents raise road closure concerns

Lowick residents launched a campaign after learning of plans to shut the B6353 road until February 9 for landslip repairs.

Northumberland County Council started work on December 4 but put the project on hold after just three days after protests from local residents.

Lynsey Fairbairn, who runs Lowick Village Store, said: “A 10-week complete closure would be a disaster for local businesses, residents who work elsewhere and children who have to get to school outside the village, and hugely disruptive to all the people who use the B6353 as an important and busy route west of the A1.

"It was a bit of a nightmare when they closed it last Monday. It was dead in the shop so I thought we had to do something about it.”

A meeting was held in the White Swan where the strength of public feeling was gauged. Lowick Parish Council wrote a letter to the county council.

Council leader Glen Sanderson and highways officers then attended a follow-up meeting in the village hall on Monday.

"They have apologised and said they’ll go back to the drawing board,” said Lynsey. “We don’t want it shut for 10 weeks. That would make us feel completely cut off.

"It might take longer but it would be better if one lane could be kept open with the use of traffic lights.

"It’s a long diversion and the country roads around here aren’t suitable for lots of traffic, especially with the wet weather we’ve had recently.”

A council spokesperson said: "We've listened carefully to feedback from local residents at the public meeting which was well attended.

"We are going to reconsider the best way of carrying out this work which is in everyone's interests. The roads remain open at this time.”

The landslip, just to the west of the village, is understood to have started some six years ago but Storm Arwen in 2021 worsened the problem and more recent wet weather has made it a more pressing issue.