'Singing and dancing' as Hebden Bridge's famous sinkhole is gone for good
The famous hole in the road is no more and the celebrations have begun.
The people of Hebden Bridge and Todmorden have taken to social media with jokes and tongue-in-cheek comments directed at their 'famous hole', a collapsed sewer and damaged culvert that became a viral sensation with its own 5-star reviews.
There was even an appearance of 'Calderdale's Premier Drag Queen' GenErika who posed at the site and declared: "Let us remember the fun times we had with the hole as we move on with our lives. Enjoy your trips from Todmorden to Hebden Bridge and come see my shows sometime!"
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GenErika told Yorkshire Live: "I did this (photo) shoot yesterday to celebrate my current nominee for the Pride of Todmorden for my contribution to the arts.
"I was delighted but wanted to do something special to celebrate. So I decided to do a photo shoot at this hole they are building. It’s been the only thing everyone has talked about for the whole month.
"The hole had not affected me too much because I work at the local supermarket in Todmorden and the shows I have had this month have all be in Todmorden. I know it’s affected a lot of people and sales for businesses.
"So I wanted to put this out there to bring some fun and positive vibes which is what I do with my art.
"People have an assumption to what my drag is; however if those people ever came to my show they would know that I like people to feel welcome and have a care free night."
The hole in question opened up in the middle of December on the A646 Halifax Road, between Hebden and Tod. The road was closed from 'Friday the 13th' - in December - until 6am today, Thursday.
Vehicles can now get through using one lane which is controlled by traffic lights. On Facebook, the admins of the Hebden Bridge group couldn't contain their glee, declaring: "It’s time to dance and sing and celebrate! The famous hole in the road is no longer a hole."
They added: "People have actually driven to work and even to Greggs! But who knows, will there be a rush of people flocking to experience the joy of driving directly from Hebden Bridge to Todmorden and vice versa? Will there be delays or will it all be totally beautiful?"
The reopening was announced by Calderdale Council. A spokesman said the reopening was hampered by the complexities of the repair and extreme weather conditions. The sewer has now been fully repaired and the culvert reinstated. A lining will be added at a later date and the road reopened fully.
A Yorkshire Water spokesperson said: "We would like to thank everyone for their patience as we carried out both repairs and appreciate that this has been frustrating for all involved. We’d also like to thank the team that pulled out all of the stops to get this vital repair fixed as quickly as possible, working long hours in extremely cold and wet weather conditions.”
Calderdale Council’s Cabinet Member for Regeneration and Transport, Cllr Sarah Courtney, said: "It’s great news that the complex work on the A646 has progressed to the point where one lane can be reopened under two-way lights, which will be manned during peak hours. We absolutely understand that this closure has been frustrating and disruptive and thank people for their patience whilst work has been underway.
"To minimise any further disruption, it’s important that there is a clear route through for traffic, also allowing heavy plant access to the site. As such, we’re asking people not to park on the roadside near the work site and we will be installing ‘no parking’ signs to this effect. This should also clear access for businesses operating in the area."
GenErika's next show is Sunday School at The Golden Lion on Sunday April 20.
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