On 20th July we sent a letter to North Yorkshire Council (NYC) regarding a Beach Access Audit that we had carried out. NYC’s Head of Economy and Tourism has now replied, as follows
Please accept our apologies for the delay in responding. A number of Council services are involved in the matters you have raised. While the Tourism team does not control or manage these assets directly, we are sending this response on behalf of the services that do.
Thank you for your letter of 20 July 2026 and for sharing the findings of the accessibility audit undertaken by Whitby Community Network CIC at West Cliff Beach. We welcome the considerable work that has gone into assessing current accessibility and identifying opportunities for improvement.
The Council recognises the unique importance of Whitby West Cliff Beach as North Yorkshire’s only Blue Flag beach and acknowledges the concerns you have raised about the impact that the loss of the Cliff Lift and the withdrawal of the temporary promenade transport service have had on accessibility for many residents and visitors.
Your audit clearly demonstrates that, whilst physical access from the lower promenade to the beach remains available, access to the lower promenade itself has become significantly more challenging for many people with mobility impairments, older residents, families with young children and others who may be unable to negotiate the steep gradients and steps that characterise this part of Whitby. The Council accepts that accessibility must be considered as a complete visitor journey rather than a single access point.
The Cliff Lift has historically provided a vital link between West Cliff and the promenade and has enabled many people to enjoy one of Whitby’s most important natural assets.
Its continued closure is therefore much more than the temporary loss of a heritage attraction. It represents the loss of a key accessibility asset that supports inclusive access to the beach and wider seafront. The Council is committed to securing a long-term solution for the future of the Cliff Lift and recognises the urgency of restoring this connection wherever practicable. Any solution must be technically, financially and operationally viable, and we await the findings of the recent updated surveys and estimates that Executive have instructed.
We also recognise the strategic importance of maintaining Blue Flag status. The Blue Flag award is not only a mark of environmental quality but also reflects the overall visitor experience, including information provision, management standards and accessibility considerations. Your observations regarding accessible transport, beach facilities, signage, information and support services therefore raise important points that merit careful consideration alongside future investment decisions for the wider West Cliff area.
In particular, we note your concerns regarding the absence of alternative transport provision during the Cliff Lift closure, the limitations of current accessible parking arrangements, the condition of supporting infrastructure, and the quality and consistency of accessibility information available to visitors. These are issues that have implications both for residents and for the thousands of visitors who choose Whitby each year.
The Council shares your view that Whitby’s coastline is one of the town’s greatest assets and that access to the beach should be available to as wide a range of people as possible. We are therefore keen to ensure that future discussions regarding the Cliff Lift, the Beach Management Centre, accessibility improvements and wider visitor infrastructure are informed by the experiences and evidence that organisations such as Whitby Community Network CIC can provide.
After speaking with colleagues across the various team that manage assets and provision of these for users of the beach, there are some acknowledgements that need to be made in relation to any such improvements highlighted in your letter. For example, unfortunately there are no real improvements we can carry out to the access ramp, railings on the ramp are not sustainable due to its location and aggressive nature of the sea, and we regularly have to replace section of railings on the promenade due to storm conditions, in addition sand level fluctuations are something we cannot control. We are however scoping out how we can introduce additional beach wheelchairs for hire locally.
Improving signage and visitor interpretation is an area that the Tourism team are working on across the county, in partnership with colleagues across the relevant service areas, and we will review how we can improve provision at this location, the audit provided is helpful in providing that user perspective.
We remain committed to working with key partners on how we can improve facilities and experiences for those affected by the nature of accessibility to the beach, including those who wish to support water activities at the location, and will look
Thank you again for bringing these matters to our attention and for the constructive tone of your report. We acknowledge the strength of feeling surrounding both the future of the Cliff Lift and the need to safeguard Whitby’s Blue Flag status.
The issues raised will be considered as part of ongoing discussions regarding the future management, accessibility and development of the West Cliff seafront area.
Thank you,
Tony Watson, Head of Economy & Tourism
