Mayor insists Snake Pass support still on the table

The mayor of the East Midlands has insisted that attempts to lobby ministers for more support for Snake Pass are ongoing, despite a lukewarm reception from the government so far.

The Peak District route is classed as one of England's highest‑risk roads because of its steep bends and is frequently closed by landslips.

Derbyshire County Council - which is responsible for the road - has warned it cannot afford to keep repairing it, with costs estimated to be in the tens of millions of pounds.

Labour's Claire Ward and the other two mayors whose areas cover the route formed a partnership last year to lobby the government for further support, calling the status quo "unsustainable".

The government, however, has said the council has already received recent investment for the route - a position that has remained unchanged since the mayors launched their partnership last autumn.

Last year they announced about £7m for safety and improvement works.

But Ward told the BBC the government has not dismissed the idea of further support.

She also said that she was still waiting for a plan from Derbyshire's Reform UK leadership to approach the government with for formal backing.

"I don't think the door has been shut," she said, adding that "negotiations and discussions are ongoing."

Alongside the mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham and South Yorkshire mayor Oliver Coppard, Ward is arguing that the importance of the road - which links the three regions - means it should not be the responsibility of Derbyshire County Council alone.

"We will be lobbying for more resource and for a different approach... but we also need more engagement from Derbyshire County Council," she said.

"We need to have very clear what it is exactly that we're asking for.

"We want government intervention, but we also need Derbyshire County Council to play their part in that."

In response, Councillor Charlotte Hill, Derbyshire County Council's cabinet member for highways, said they were about to start work looking into the issue.

"We are continuing to work on the feasibility studies to understand how the four landslips on the Snake Pass could be repaired and the likely cost of this, which we anticipate will run into tens of millions of pounds," she said.

"Derbyshire officers have met with the mayor's office over the past two weeks, and we are engaging with the whole process. I would encourage the mayor to involve government in the scheme as early as possible."

The council will shortly begin a detailed ground investigation at the A57 Doctors Gate site as part of a feasibility study - work it called "highly complex and detailed".

Snake Pass is regarded as one of the most scenic driving roads in the UK.

But it is also considered one of the "most high-risk" roads in England due to a series of steep bends, twists and blind junctions.

It is often the subject of roadworks and closes regularly due to poor weather or landslips, making it dangerous to drive along.

A spokesperson for the Department for Transport said: "While it is Derbyshire County Council's responsibility to maintain this iconic road, last year we announced a £7.6 million boost to make life-saving improvements on the route.

"We also encourage them to apply to our new Structures Fund, which will repair and renew roads, bridges and tunnels across the country."

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