Completion
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The last stone was not laid until 1904, with the Marine Drive roadway anticipated to be operational in 1905 but extreme waves, abnormally high tides and further legal wrangles led to yet further delays and Marine Drive was finally officially opened by the Duke and Duchess of Connaught in 1908, almost 9 years later than scheduled. The Scarborough Marine Drive was however a great success both for the commercial aspects of the town and for its aesthetic value, the sea wall being originally topped by some 1,384 linear yards of cast-iron handrails. Prevention of coastal erosion also proved to be very effective and for nearly 100 years the sea wall bore the brunt of the wild North Sea wave. Futher coastal defence works were implemented in 2002 mainly producing a rock barrier to protect the roadway.
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