MOTORISTS on York’s Inner Ring Road are facing weeks of delays and diversions as engineers carry out improvements to footpaths near Lendal Bridge.

City of York Council is set to impose a daytime contraflow on sections of Station Road and Museum Street, with vehicles restricted to the southbound lane in a single-file controlled by traffic lights.

But the road will sometimes be closed completely in both directions from 7pm until 7am each night.

Drivers wanting to travel the short distance from Gillygate to the railway station will have to take a lengthy diversion along Bootham, Clifton, Water End, Poppleton Road, Holgate Road, Blossom Street, Queen Street and Station Road, and vice versa.

On some nights, the road will be closed in one direction only, with vehicles having to take the diversion, while the road will remain open in the other direction.

The ban on vehicles turning right into Museum Street from Lendal would be suspended while the road closures are in force.

The authority is advising motorists to use alternative routes during the works to avoid delays and minimise disruption.

The restrictions are due to come into force on February 9, and continue until March 6, although they may come to an end sooner if the works are completed.

A council spokeswoman said the works were needed to complete pavement improvements, the first phase of which started in November.

“The works will involve setting the kerb line back to stop vehicles running over the pavement,” she said. “The entire corner will be repaved and the traffic signal will be relocated.”

The Press reported last autumn how the pavement on the corner between Lendal Bridge and Station Avenue was to be widened to help pedestrians.

A new Give Way line would also be painted between Station Avenue and Station Road to improve traffic safety.

Various other road markings were also to be improved in a £100,000 project, which also included demolishing and rebuilding a low wall on the corner, beside the embankment to the Bar Walls, and improvements to access for cyclists to and from Tanner’s Moat.

Council engineer Gary Thompson said the narrow pavement had been a problem for a long time, with vehicles over-running on to the pavement and not enough space for pedestrians at the crossing.

Transport chief Bill Woolley said it had been reported that cyclists were often being “squeezed” on the bend.

The inner ring road suffered similar disruption last year when Nunnery Lane was closed in stages for three weeks.


Plans to cut speed limits

A SERIES of other traffic management orders are being proposed by City of York Council for roads around York.

They include a 20mph speed limit in Millfield Lane, Nether Poppleton, near the Manor School service road, and a 40mph limit on a short stretch of the A1079 near Dunnington, where it would replace a 60mph limit.

No waiting at any time restrictions are set to be introduced on sections of Beckfield Lane, Boroughbridge Road, Low Poppleton Lane and Millfield Lane.