One of the main roads into Pool-in-Wharfedale is to close for nearly two weeks for repairs linked to the Tour de France.

A section of the A659 Arthington Lane, from the A658 roundabout to The Tower Drive, will be closed to traffic between 9.30am and 5.30pm from Monday, April 7.

The resurfacing is due to be completed on Thursday, April 17, and a diversion will be in place – via the A61 Harrogate Road, A61 Swindon Lane and A658 Harrogate Road – throughout.

Leeds City Council highways department says pedestrian access will not be affected. Councillor Barry Anderson (Con, Adel & Wharfedale) has also been told that “every effort will be made to maintain vehicular access to properties within the road closure but there may be periods, due to the nature of the works, when this is restricted. Everybody should, however, always be able to get away from their properties, although they might have to use the diversion routes to access some areas.”

Some further Tour de France- related roadworks, meanwhile, are also to take place in Otley.

Businesses in the town criticised a recent two-week programme of works – which involved closing Westgate – for the “devastating” impact it had on trade.

That work, now completed, also included resurfacing Piper Lane and Bradford Road as they were on the original Tour route.

The route, however, has been updated to allow Rotary Way – Otley bypass – to stay open and the race’s riders will now use Ilkley Road, which connects Westgate with the A660, instead.

The city council says resurfacing Ilkley Road, which was already on its schedule for the year, has been brought forward and will be done in April or May.

It is also planning to resurface Boroughgate and Cross Green in mid to late May, with the work planned for nights.

Other non-Tour linked works are also planned to take place before then, including improvements to the pedestrian crossing in Cross Green and a new access road connecting to the A659 Pool Road beside Gallows Hill, for the Garnett Wharfe housing development.

The first stage of the Tour’s Grand Depart, from Leeds to Harrogate, will set off on Saturday, July 5, and pass through Harewood, Arthington, Pool-in-Wharfedale, Otley and Ilkley before heading into the Yorkshire Dales.