Motorists using the A19 between York and Selby face six weeks of traffic misery after the Highways Agency announced major roadworks starting next month.

The £850,000 resurfacing and traffic calming scheme covers a seven-kilometre stretch of the Barlby and Riccall bypass between Barlby roundabout to just north of Riccall village.

The work - which will start on January 12 - incorporates new signing and lining with red road surfacing to highlight the A19 junction with the A63 at Barlby, an accident blackspot.

The roundabout at Barlby is already a notorious bottleneck, and councillors are predicting traffic chaos at busy times.

Highways Agency engineers plan to reduce the expected tailbacks by diverting north-bound traffic along the old A19 through the villages of Barlby and Riccall when those stretches of the bypass are being resurfaced.

South-bound traffic will be diverted along the old A19 just north of Riccall and again near Riccall Mine.

On those sections of the A19 where traffic cannot be diverted, traffic lights will be in operation.

The agency's project manager Brian Dobson said: "We realise that diverting traffic through nearby villages is not ideal and we apologise to residents for the inconvenience.

"However, this will enable the work to be completed more quickly, and overall this will reduce disruption to both the trunk road traffic and residents.

"Unless we use the villages, the work would take twice as long."

Mr Dobson said traffic lights would not be used during morning and evening rush hours.

He said: "While we have the diversions on, traffic delays shouldn't be too bad, although when we are using traffic lights we will increase tailbacks.

"We are doing the work one carriageway at a time, and we don't envisage any night work.

"I appreciate I won't be the most popular man in Selby, but this work has to be done. The road is starting to show signs of distress."

Selby district councillor Stephanie Duckett said: "The diversions are the best deal we could get. It's bound to create traffic chaos at times, but there was no other option."

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