The closure of Crich Tramway Village has been extended until at least Tuesday, 24 May 2022, after safety concerns saw the site shut earlier this week.
 
The museum took the decision to close the whole site on Wednesday, 18 May 2022, after an inspection from the Office of Rail and Road led the governing body to prohibit access to certain parts of the attraction.
 
It had previously been stated that the popular tourist attraction, near Matlock, would be closed until at least Friday, 20 May 2022.
 
The extension of the closure was announced on Friday morning.
 
The museum said that the depot and an area of the main street at the village were at the centre of the safety concerns.
 
It is not yet known if the closure will be extended for a second time.
 
The village said, "Following a visit on Tuesday, 17 May 2022, by an inspection team from the Office of Rail and Road (ORR), two distinct areas of concern were highlighted. One covers the depot fan, where the trams enter and exit the depots, and the other is an area in the main street near the Red Lion pub. In practice, for safety reasons, this means that the vintage trams cannot be moved in or out of the depot, and in addition, visitors are not permitted into these areas, which renders the exhibition hall, indoor play area, depot, and Red Lion currently inaccessible."
 
The inspection by the ORR, which undertakes safety inspections on rail networks across the UK, was scheduled, but saw access to certain areas of the site prohibited.
 
The body said on Thursday, 19 May 2022, that the decision to do so was "not taken lightly" but done in the interests of safety.
 
A spokesperson for the ORR said, "Following an inspection looking into a potentially serious matter at the Crich Tramway Museum, we've taken the decision to prohibit access to certain areas of the site to protect members of the public and staff working at the museum, and ensure safety improvements are made to its infrastructure. We know how much the tramway is loved, and we've not taken this decision lightly, but have done so in the interests of safety."
 
Derbyshire Live has contacted Crich Tramway Village for further comment.
 
Callum Parke.