MAJOR transports improvements and vital upgrades in York could flounder as long devolution debates drag on, it has been warned.

Many of the biggest transport projects proposed for York could be paid for by combined authorities or local enterprise partnerships, which are embroiled in the stalled devolution talks across the region.

While areas such as Manchester, the North East, and South Yorkshire have signed devolution deals with ministers, York and East, West and North Yorkshire are locked in a tug-of-war over where the alliances should be formed.

Last week, councillors heard that the city council's transport experts are now looking for other sources of cash to ensure vital improvements to the ring road do not fall victim to the political delays.

Neil Ferris, the council's city and environment director, told members of an economy committee that York's infrastructure could not afford to wait until political decisions were made. Instead his team is preparing a report for the ruling executive to consider in August, looking at other sources of funding.

In a written update which goes to the committee regularly, the council's head of transport, Tony Clarke, pointed out that major projects including the Outer Ring Road upgrade, the York Central access, and the station frontage upgrade, could all get funding from the West Yorkshire Plus Transport Fund subject to the outcome of the devolution debate.

At the same time, the Outer Ring Road dualling project, Haxby Station, and improvements on the A1079 have all had bids submitted for funding to the York, North Yorkshire and East Riding Local Enterprise Partnership.

At the meeting, Labour councillor Neil Barnes asked if there was a "cry for help" hidden between the lines of the official report.

He said: "Some of the schemes are tied into West Yorkshire, some are tied into North Yorkshire, but we are not entirely sure what they future looks like because we don't know what devolution looks like.

"How much can we say that the success of any of the schemes is going to be tied into a decision being? Can we successfully deliver without a decision?

Mr Ferris said they could not make progress on any of the schemes without a decision from city politicians about where the funding should come from, but that did not necessarily mean a decision on devolution.

Cllr Ian Gillies, York's executive member for transport, said the search for alternative sources of funding was not entirely down the devolution fears, but also about getting the best possible deal for the city as interest payments on any loans could be a major drain on council coffers down the line.

Devolution talks have been delayed by local elections elsewhere in Yorkshire, he said, but there are hopes progress could be made soon.

York has been named in numerous different bid for devolution including one based around the Leeds City Region; another on York, North Yorkshire and the East Riding; and a "Greater Yorkshire" plan which would take in the North, East and West Ridings.