Council will do 'utmost' to keep Snake Pass safe for Tour de France but fix 'unlikely'
The A57 will form part of the Tour Fe France Femmes next July but has numerous landslips
Derbyshire County Council says it will “do its utmost” to keep the crumbling Snake Pass safe for the Tour de France next year.
The authority said a longer term fix was not likely before the race but it would strive to ensure the cyclists had “safe passage along the route.”
The A57 will form part of the Tour Fe France Femmes next July.
The Snake Pass has “numerous active landslips”, the county council says.
It has two sets of traffic lights where the road is down to one lane - near the summit and at Alport - and a 7.5 tonne weight limit.
Recent photos show just how close the landslip is to the remaining road surface at Alport.
Councillor Charlotte Hill, Derbyshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Potholes, Highways and Transport, said they were working with East Midlands Combined Authority to explore options to secure the future of the A57.
She added: “We are delighted that the Snake Pass is going to form part of the Tour Fe France Femmes avec Zwift 2027 route.
“It is an iconic stretch of road within Derbyshire, that will present a real challenge to the cyclists and make for an interesting stretch of the race.
“Due to its underlying geology, the Snake Pass also presents us at Derbyshire County Council, as highways authority, with several challenges.
“Snake Pass has got numerous active landslips that we manage year-on-year, and we will do our utmost to ensure that the Tour de France Femmes Avec Zwift has safe passage along the route, by proactively managing it.
“Unfortunately, a longer-term repair is not likely before the race, as it requires significant investigation and resource.
“We are working with the East Midlands Combined Authority to explore all options to secure the longevity of the A57.”
The Tour de France Femmes will tackle the Snake on Saturday July 31, 2027.
The route is 154km from Manchester to Sheffield and includes nearly 3,000m of climbing.
Jon Pearce, Labour MP for High Peak, said the Government has committed £7.6 million for safety and improvement works on the Snake.
He added: “On top of that, I have joined with local Labour mayors Claire Ward, Oliver Coppard and Andy Burnham to establish the Peak Partnership, which is making the case for investment across our area. One of its clear priorities is Snake Pass.
“But we cannot make the strongest case for further funding unless Derbyshire County Council does its job, identifies what needs doing, and comes forward with a credible plan.
“With the Tour de France Femmes coming and the eyes of the world soon turning to our area, there is no excuse for standing still.”