A contractor has been reminded that temporary traffic lights at Taylor Hill need to be manned throughout the day after the Examiner found the site deserted.

The site of a landslip in Woodhead Road is supposed to be manned between 7am and 7pm but on Wednesday lunchtime no-one was present when an Examiner reporter passed and took photos.

Kirklees Council says it has reminded the contractor of their responsibilities.

It said a worker had taken an “unscheduled comfort break.”

Karl Battersby, the council’s Strategic Director Economy and Infrastructure, said: “The council can confirm that the lights are to be manned from 7am to 7pm, and an operative should be on site between those times.

“This stretch of road is currently being manned by operatives from Yorkshire Water as they are doing work in the same area as the landslip.

“We checked with their contractor and it appears the reporter witnessed an unscheduled comfort break. We have reminded Yorkshire Water that they need to make sure someone is manning the lights throughout the day between the hours specified.”

On Wednesday the Examiner revealed that the bill for the manned temporary traffic lights has passed £40,000 and is rising by £2,200 per week.

Concrete blocks at the site of the Woodhead Road landslip

Kirklees Council released details of the ongoing costs and admitted that they still don’t have a start date to reinstate the collapsed banking and wall.

It is believed that the owner of a house on Taylor Hill – or his insurer – will have to pay for the hire of the traffic lights as well as the landslip repair.

Newsome Green Party councillor Andrew Cooper says he has been putting pressure on senior officers at the council to “sort it out as quickly as possible” and to be as sympathetic as they can to the plight of the householder involved.

The householder has been asked to comment but has not responded.