A NIDDERDALE village has been left isolated by emergency gas repairs which are set to continue for another month.
A road closure between Darley and Hampsthwaite has already left Birstwith with no bus service for two weeks.
To leave the village, bus users have to book a place on a shuttle service the previous day.
Matthew Walwyn, of Birstwith Post Office, s
aid: “It’s causing considerable inconvenience to villagers.
“If you want to go anywhere on a bus you have to book the Little Red Bus a day in advance to pick you up.”
Works had been scheduled from January 11, but the week before, gas began to leak and emergency procedures were put in place. The closure is scheduled until March 7, and nearly 630 metres of gas mains will be replaced.
Mr Walwyn said: “People have to go out of their way to get anywhere.
“It’s actually damaging my business. A lot of my trade is passing trade and because the road’s closed nobody is passing by.
“It’s just a case of hanging on in there.”
Mr Walwyn said the main problem was the works were going to go on for so long.
“I don’t really know how long it’s going to last. It’s just inconvenient for people in the village to have to go the long way around, which is about a mile out of the way.”
He added there has been problems with the gas there for a number of years so he appreciated it needed to be put right.
“I think people don’t really understand why they have to close the road completely,” he said.
“People were expecting there to be traffic lights or to be able to get through if they needed to.”
Children are being bussed to Darley so they can catch a bus to Nidderdale High School.
Sue Welch, secretary of Darley Parish Council, said it was just the end of the village that was affected and their main concern was that diverted buses were churning up the verges on Stumps Lane.
“Obviously they have to travel on there because there is no other route,” she said.
“I think people appreciate that repairs have to be done and it has not affected Darley as much as it obviously has Birstwith.”
A spokesman for North Yorkshire County Council said: "So far the contractors are on course.
“They have got all the signage in place, and as with all works of this kind, we encourage contractors to work as fast as they can, and to re-open the road as fast as they can."
The Little Red Bus will run a shuttle service until about 6pm Mondays to Saturdays. Customers will need to book their journey by 5pm the previous evening. Call Harrogate District Community Transport on 01423 526655 to book.
