£38m scheme to upgrade York outer ring road set to begin
Work will begin next month to upgrade the first of seven roundabouts on York’s outer ring road to cut congestion and journey times as part of a £38m scheme.
York City Council said Wetherby Road roundabout will be widened to create a three-lane approach and two-lane exit. An off-road cycle route between Rufforth and Acomb will also be installed. The programme is funded through the West Yorkshire-plus Transport Fund and will take up to four years to complete all seven roundabouts.
Work will take place every weekday from 7.30am to 4pm, with the potential for evening, weekend and some overnight work at points before the improvements are complete next spring. Motorists can expect minor delays at as the roundabout’s approaches and exits have a reduced, 30 mile per hour limit throughout the works.
Councillor Peter Dew, executive member for transport and planning, said: “These roundabout upgrades will reduce journey times and congestion, and improve the experience for pedestrians and cyclists. We’re starting the first roundabout while we develop plans for the other, more complicated schemes.
“We’ve designed the works so that lane closures won’t be required for most of the scheme, so there should only be minor disruption.”
The council is now taking views on proposals to upgrade the second roundabout in the scheme, at Monks Cross.
The York Outer Ring Road improvements programme is being funded through the West Yorkshire-plus Transport Fund, and the Leeds City Region Growth Deal – a £1bn package of Government investment through the West Yorkshire Combined Authority and Leeds City Region Enterprise Partnership (LEP).
