LONG-AWAITED work to improve the surface of a “treacherous” lane leading to a household waste and recycling centre is set to start after a council agreed to undertake the work as a goodwill gesture.

Residents of Thirsk and Sowerby have complained for several years that a section of the unnamed road off South Moor Lane, which it would appear nobody owns, has huge potholes and is difficult to travel along with loads of waste.

At meetings of Sowerby Parish Council and Thirsk Town Council it was announced North Yorkshire County Council would fund repairs to the road after making savings in another area of its budget.

County council highways boss Gareth Dadd said: “We have sought legal advice. Technically we should not be doing it, however it would not be illegal to do it, but that is why it has taken so long.

“It won’t be a full deep-seated resurfacing job by any means, but it will be rectified as best we can. We are hopeful that should be done by the end of the financial year or the beginning of next financial year.”