CITY leaders are to be asked to earmark up to £750,000 more in possible funding for a York congestion-busting project after contractors’ costs rose.

The additional contingency cash is needed after City of York Council learned the bill for dealing with ground conditions for a new Park&Ride site at Askham Bar – one of two which are to be built under the first phase of the £22.7 million Access York scheme – is higher than originally expected. If agreed by the cabinet, any extra funding would come from the council’s economic infrastructure fund. Richard Wood, pictured, assistant director for transport, said the rise in estimated costs came after an initial investigation of the land and its previous use as a landfill site, but the council would look to reduce costs in other areas of the project.

The Askham Bar site will be a larger replacement for the current Park&Ride. A new site is also being built on the A59 near Poppleton.

Tenders for the construction work have been received and assessed by the council and documentation will now be sent to the Department for Transport. If approved, work can start in March with the aim of being completed in April 2014.

Coun Dave Merrett, cabinet member for transport, said: “Access York is critical for the future economic prosperity and environmental wellbeing of the city, and represents one of the largest single investments in York’s transport infrastructure since the northern ring road was built.”