A £9 MILLION project to stabilise land around a main coastal road which has been beset by landslips was officially launched yesterday.

The opening ceremony, which was carried out by Scarborough and Whitby MP Robert Goodwill, saw huge praise for the contribution of people living near the site on the A174 between Whitby and Sandsend.

Worn-out coastal defences have been replaced along a 1km stretch of the A174 where it runs close to the North Yorkshire shoreline.

The road has often had to be closed in winter and periods of bad weather due to collapses in the previous concrete defences and landslips from the boulder clay slope above it.

This required North Yorkshire County Council to undertake a series of costly repairs over the years.

Work on the lower sections of the new scheme involved building 450 steps using an innovative system that carried the concrete along a rail built into the defences.

Mr Goodwill told the various officials, councillors, residents and contractors who attended yesterday’s opening ceremony: “I am delighted to see this major investment in my constituency to protect this vital stretch of coastline and the main road that runs alongside it.

“As well as protecting the environment, the work will benefit residents, visitors and the economy.”

The work was funded by £4.5 million from the county council and £4.7 million from the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

The ceremony was also told of the contribution made by people living in the area, who were thanked for their patience and good humour during the work.

County Councillor David Chance, local member for Whitby Mayfield cum Mulgrave, added: “This was a major civil engineering project, and the county council made sure that we assembled the best team possible.

“But throughout the project the team has been keen to draw upon local expertise and knowledge, whether that has been through employing local tradespeople and professionals, or simply by listening to local people who have offered their perspectives.

“I am certain that this blend of technical expertise and local knowledge has helped us to improve the project at every stage.”

Before the ceremony, a drop-in exhibition detailing the work was held at the Pyman Institute, Sandsend, for the public to speak to members of the project team, including contractor Balfour Beatty, who were keen to hear feedback on the completed project.