Overview
- North Yorkshire Council has been advised to decommission the Cliff Lift, remove the top building and seal the shaft, with works costed at about £232,000.
- Repairing and reopening the lift is estimated at roughly £5.5 million, with officials citing ongoing maintenance liabilities and uncertainty over required waterproofing.
- Anglo American reported the shaft appeared largely dry, while a January follow-up noted a localized water inflow near the top that requires further investigation.
- The council’s executive plans to discuss the lift’s future on March 17, following a local area committee session on March 2.
- Campaigners have mounted protests and a petition of around 6,000 signatures, with MP Alison Hume urging renovation as critics question a lightly used replacement bus and warn of accessibility and tourism impacts.