Whitby Cliff Lift Reopening Poses Significant Challenges, Council Reports

Councillors have been informed that addressing the corrosion issues impacting Whitby’s Cliff Lift, which has been non-operational for over two years, presents “no easy solution.” The lift ceased operations in April 2022 following the detection of structural corrosion and a “steady increase in water ingress.” A council report indicates that while restoring the lift to functionality is feasible, persistent challenges would arise from ongoing water ingress and ventilation problems. Potential strategies for the lift are anticipated to be deliberated during a meeting of North Yorkshire Council’s Scarborough and Whitby Area Committee scheduled for Friday. Situated on the North Terrace, the lift commenced operation in 1931. It comprises a lift contained within a vertical shaft that descends from the cliff top through boulder clay, culminating in a 221ft (67m) long pedestrian tunnel providing access to the beach. The Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) reported that for the past three years, the council has provided a free, subsidised bus service during the summer months as an alternative to the lift, which has historically failed to generate revenue. Previously, chalet users received a complimentary lift pass; however, this benefit was discontinued when the usage charge was eliminated. Revenue from non-chalet users has proven insufficient to cover the expenses of the lift operator. Earlier this year, North Yorkshire Council disclosed that the expenditure required to resolve the lift’s problems was “estimated at over £1m.” Subsequently, the authority engaged Align Property Partners to conduct surveys and additional work “to refine costs,” as detailed in a recent briefing prepared for councillors. The report further indicated that the lift would “still require significant ongoing revenue funding for yearly maintenance and parts replacements and the employment cost of a seasonal lift operator.” It was also noted that council leaders, including the authority’s executive committee, were anticipated to decide the future of the site at an unspecified time, but “no formal decision has been made yet.”