A village front street has been closed to drivers after a 3.5m deep sinkhole opened up in the road.
Durham County Council have closed the A689 at Wearhead in Upper Weardale in the interests of safety after a sinkhole opened up on Friday.
The sinkhole, on the eastbound carriageway, appears to have been caused by a collapsed culvert, originally built to remove water from mine workings.
Temporary traffic lights were put up while preliminary investigations took place.
These revealed a more extensive void, approximately 3.5 metres deep and two metres wide and spanning most of the road.
This meant the council was forced to close the road on Tuesday to protect the public.
Diversions are in place and signs have been put up to notify drivers.
Further investigations and urgent repairs are due to take place and the road could be closed for two weeks.
Signs will be put up in Stanhope and Alston advising people of the closure and directing them to an alternative route.
Those travelling west can take the B6278 from Stanhope to Middleton-in-Teesdale and then on the B62777 to Alston. Heading east, the diversion will follow the opposite route.
The diversion will add 16 miles to the journey, so the public has been asked to allow extra time when travelling.
A shorter local diversion will also be in place within Wearhead for residents and the emergency services. This is less than two miles but is not suitable for heavy goods vehicles and coaches.
The footpath remains open for pedestrians, while cyclists can pass through by dismounting and proceeding on foot.
John Reed, head of technical services at Durham County Council, said: “We realise that this closure will cause significant disruption, but it is a necessary step to take as the safety of the public is paramount.
“We would like to reassure people that the repairs will be carried out as a matter of urgency but, as investigations into the cause of the subsidence are ongoing, the road could be closed for up to two weeks.
“We are very grateful to the public for their understanding and patience during this time.”
Discussions are ongoing with bus companies who run services in Upper Weardale.
Currently buses are terminating at Vedra Close in Wearhead, as the local diversion is not suitable for buses and coaches.
Alternative arrangements have also been made for school transport. The Wolsingham School bus will pick up from Vedra Close and a taxi shuttle service will be established to and from Wearhead for pupils living in the Cowshill area. Pupils also have the option to walk along the footpath from Cowshill to Wearhead, a distance of just under a mile.
The closure is not expected to impact greatly on Wearhead Primary School and Alston Primary School pupils, as the school minibuses can use the local diversion.
Schools are informing pupils and parents of the changes to transport arrangements, and council staff will be visiting all 30 homes near the closure.
For more information about road closures in County Durham, visit www.durham.gov.uk/roadworks.
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