A DANGEROUS wall has left a main road through Beverley impassable for almost a week.
Keldgate – which carries a huge volume of traffic past the Minster – has been closed since Tuesday.
Despite being on scene since then, East Riding Council says the situation will not be reviewed until Monday.
The closure has meant misery for Beverley commuters who have been redirected into the town's already clogged one-way system.
Nigel Leighton, director of environment and neighbourhood services at East Riding Council, said: "The council apologises for the inconvenience but would like to assure residents these works are being carried out as expediently as possible and are in the interests of public safety."
Mr Leighton said the council's contractors had worked around the clock to make the immediate area of Keldgate Manor safe.
But because the wall's proximity to gas and water mains, utility companies had to be called in before the final section of wall could be taken down yesterday.
Mr Leighton said: "The council will then need to undertake further investigations to determine the extent of the damage underground to ascertain a solution.
"With this being the case, the council still cannot guarantee when the road will be reopen."
At the Sun Inn in Flemingate, the usual busy flow of traffic has been much reduced.
Lee Tomlinson, who runs the pub with his partner Richard Price, said: "You can still drive down from here but you have to turn off up Long Lane. It would affect us more if we had a big car park and people drove here.
"It seems the work has been going on for a long time.
"People have been asking us about it in the pub.
"I know some of the time traffic has been backed up all the way to Morrisons."
The investigatory work will aim to identify why the foundations of the wall became defective.
If traffic vibrations have been a factor it will raise questions about their impact on Beverley Minster.
Until the work has been carried out, Keldgate will remain closed to vehicles, between Eastgate and Queensgate. Access will be maintained at all times for residents and pedestrians, with a diversion in place via Lairgate, Hengate, New Walkergate and Railway Street for motorists.
For enquiries about the closure, call council's highways customer careline on 0845 6001666.
