Weather conditions along the route can be extreme during the winter, and the road is often one of the first to be closed in the county due to snow and ice.
The road is a priority, primary gritting route. Find out more about gritting.
Site investigations in June 2026
We closed the A57 Snake Pass for 3 weeks from mid-June to early July, from Glossop to the junction with the Fairholmes Visitor Centre for ground investigations at the Doctor's Gate landslip site.
The landslip site is one of 4 along the route, with others at:
- Alport
- Gillott Hey
- Wood Cottage
Boreholes were drilled 10 metres deep to gather valuable information about the soil and rock formations below ground to help develop a permanent repair at the site.
Additional works were carried out during the closure as part of our ‘fence to fence’ working, to minimise the number of road closures, reducing inconvenience for road users.
We also started work on the first phase of a wider programme of safety improvements along the route, funded by a £7.6 million award from the government’s Safer Roads Fund.
The works included:
- retaining wall repairs at Doctor's Gate
- a visual inspection of the structures along the route including a detailed, once every 6 year inspection at the Alport Bridge landslip
- road patching repairs to fix potholes
- upgraded safety barriers and bike guards - metal railings which sit below the safety barriers to catch motorcyclists who have fallen from their bikes
- new white lining to improve sight lines for road users
- removing overhanging vegetation along the route to improve visibility.
During the closure, volunteers working with the team from High Peak Borough Council collected 53 bin bags of litter.
The findings from the boreholes will be reviewed to determine the type - and cost - of repair required at the Doctor's Gate landslip.
This work is already underway for the other three landslip sites along the Snake Pass, to identify appropriate engineering solutions and likely construction costs.
Background
We had to temporarily close the A57 Snake Pass in February 2022 following a battering from Storm Eunice and Storm Franklin.
The storms damaged the road surface and foundations at 3 sites:
- Gillot Hey
- Wood Cottage
- Alport
To maintain public safety and keep the road open, we reduced the carriageway to one lane, introduced a 20mph speed limit and installed traffic lights at all 3 sites.
To minimise any further damage to the road at the site of the landslips, HGVs over 7.5 tonnes follow a signed diversion route using the A6013 / A6187 / B6049 / A623 / A6 / A6015 / A624 and vice versa.
In May 2023, we carried out extensive repairs to the Gillot Hey and Wood Cottage sites. The traffic lights and temporary speed limit were removed and these sections of road were reopened to 2-way traffic.
The temporary traffic lights and 20 mph speed limit at Alport remain in place.
Since carrying out the repairs at Gillott Hey and Wood Cottage, we have noticed that the road surface is already showing some signs of movement. This is occurring much more quickly than in the past. We will continue to monitor these sites and may need to take action, including reinstating the temporary traffic lights and reduced speed limit.
At the Alport slip site, the road surface shows no signs of any movement. An initial survey report suggests extensive works are needed to strengthen the ground, using long steel piles. We don't have a cost for this work yet, but other similar work gives us an estimate of around £4million.
In addition to the slip at Alport, a full geotechnical survey of the entire Snake Pass route has also been commissioned to tackle the issue of reoccurring ground movement and landslips. This report will help identify potential solutions for the future of the sites affected by the landslips and set out costings. Once this report is received we will be building a business case for the funding to take to the government, as we don't have the money available for such large schemes.
The 12-mile section of the A57, known as Snake Road, is one of the highest roads in the Peak District.
Historical records suggest that landslips have taken place along the Snake Pass with closures dating back at least 90 years, with more than 30,000 vehicles each week including 1,500 HGVs using the road.