ASCOT travel plans suffered a setback today after it emerged that a key road into York was damaged - four months after it was relaid and reopened to traffic.

A 5km stretch of the busy A1(M) should have been fully open for the Royal race meeting in June.

But now an investigation has been launched into why one section of the motorway between Wetherby and Walshford may have two instead of three lanes open when thousands of punters flock to York Racecourse.

Council highways chiefs in York want drivers from the north and south to access the city from the A1(M) and A64 - making traffic flow on the A1(M) a crucial part of the traffic masterplan.

City of York Council today said it had "every confidence" road disruption would be minimised.

The comments came after the Highways Agency launched an investigation into why the damage happened so soon after the road partially reopened last December.

The road was relaid last August, but recent inspections by contractors RMG - made up of AMEC, Alfred McAlpine, Dragados and KBR - revealed damaged sections in both carriageways.

The agency apologised to inconvenienced drivers and said it hoped the repairs would be finished by early July. The existing contraflow, two lanes of traffic in both directions and a 50mph speed limit would be maintained until work was completed.

A city council spokeswoman told the Evening Press: "We have every confidence that the traffic disruption will be kept to a minimum."

Updated: 10:34 Tuesday, April 19, 2005