TRANSPORT officials are about to start talks with landowners about plans for major improvements on the York Outer Ring Road.

A consultation with landowners could start as soon as this summer, to get the ball rolling on ambitious plans to upgrade roundabouts on the northern ring road A1237, council papers show.

But in the same papers it has been revealed that environmental assessments and even full planning permission might be needed for the roundabout projects - threatening delays in the design process as the applications are drawn up.

The funding for the plans depends on the West Yorkshire Plus Transport Fund (WY+TF), which has provisionally agreed to pay £37.6 million toward the plans.

City of York Council leader Dafydd Williams said: "We are continuing to work towards securing and progressing funds to upgrade York’s Outer Ring Road. The £37.6m allocation from the West Yorkshire Transport Fund money represents a significant move forward in the transport needs for this city, helping unlock economic growth."

The landowner talks are due to start this summer, and full public consultations should follow soon after, the paper's authors Tony Clark and Ruth Stephenson said.

Early stage design work is already going on, they added, work should start in 2016 and be finished by 2021.

But until the West Yorkshire fund's money is confirmed, the City of York Council's own contribution will be at risk with no guarantee that the rest of the money would be found elsewhere if the WY+TF pulled out.

Although plans to dual the ring road are not in the current plans, the paper says the improved roundabouts will be "future proofed" so dualling could go ahead in the future, the report added.

The news has come in an official update report to the City of York Council's cabinet, published last night and due to be considered next Tuesday, March 3.

At that meeting the cabinet will have to decide whether officers should continue developing the project, subject to the full council this Thursday approving an additional £500,000 for the progression of the WY+TF.