MOTORISTS are being warned of major disruption later this month when roadworks are staged on a key York route.

Temporary traffic lights will operate for 24 hours a day on the A19 at Fulford as part of the project to build an access road into the Germany Beck housing development.

The traffic lights, which will last for five days from Tuesday May 30, will 'inevitably lead to major disruption of the traffic using this route,' says Howard Civil Engineering, which is doing the work.

"Peak hour traffic is expected to be considerably worse than usual, impacting not only the A19 but the surrounding road network.

"The use of 24 hr traffic lights on the A19 will commence at 9am on Tuesday May 30. The temporary lights will remain in place until the evening of Saturday June 3."

The company, which has advised drivers to seek alternative routes during this period, said the work involved the diversion of services including water mains, gas mains, electric cables and BT and other communication cables and fibres.

It said they needed to be diverted because some lay too close to a proposed sheet piled wall to the west of the A19, and because some needed to be lifted to suit the new level of the junction.

"Some of the service diversions require long trenches to be opened up and large 'pits' to be excavated within the carriageway of the A19 where joints are to be carried out," ir said.

"The jointing pits have to remain open for several days while the joints are carried out. Unfortunately this means that 24hr temporary traffic lights are required to be set up on the A19 during this period.

"We apologise for any inconvenience for those delayed due to the traffic lights caused by these necessary works."

The company said provision for pedestrians and others using footpaths would be maintained during the operations.

The Press reported last month that developers Persimmon Homes Yorkshire finally hoped to start its £120 million scheme for 655 homes at Germany Beck in Fulford - one of York’s biggest housing schemes - this summer.

The scheme will include 227 affordable homes, a £1.75 million contribution to sports facilities and a £2 million contribution to school facilities, and will create 120 construction jobs.