A £1 MILLION flood alleviation project which will provide vital protection to 91 homes and 17 businesses in Earby is now likely to be delayed.

The project has been set back due to a major obstruction discovered whilst drilling the new culvert beneath the disused railway embankment just under halfway along the route.

The Environment Agency’s contractors, JBA Bentley, are on site working to find a solution so the culvert repair can be completed as quickly as possible. The work started on July 23 and was expected to take 13 weeks.

To reduce the impact on residents temporary traffic lights on the A56 were removed last Friday. They will be reinstalled for a shorter period of time when a solution has been agreed.

This week new temporary traffic lights have been installed for around two weeks at the junction of the A56 and Victoria Road, near the Co-op, so that further sections of Victoria Clough culvert can be repaired.

West Craven councillor David Whipp has reacted angrily that the work has suffered a setback.

Cllr Whipp said: “After waiting three years for this work to begin, I’m stunned that work has literally ground to a halt on the section of culvert that’s 90 per cent blocked beneath the old railway line.

“This is the part of the watercourse which contributed to severe flooding on Boxing Day 2015 and the length in greatest need of being sorted out.

“Local residents will be rightly angry that their homes remain at a heightened risk of flooding whilst this is, hopefully, sorted out. It’s just not good enough.”

Paul Swales, flood risk advisor for the Environment Agency, said: “We would like to thank residents and businesses for their patience and understanding while we carry out this essential work to reduce flood risk and protect their properties.”

Whilst the work is carried out there will be some disruption to motorists using the A56 and Victoria Road. There will also be some parking restrictions on Victoria Road.

The flood alleviation project involves making Victoria culvert structurally sound.

A new culvert will be installed beneath the disused railway embankment to replace the existing one which has collapsed. The team will also re-line or replace a number of sections along the length of the culvert at locations under Victoria Road and the A56 Skipton Road.

So far 43 metres of structural re-lining have been completed from the junction of Valley Road and Victoria Road. The road is expected to be re-instated and re-opened this Friday.

A new trash screen will also be fixed at the inlet of the culvert, to help reduce the risk of it becoming blocked with debris.