A MEETING has taken place to step up plans that could ultimately ease congestion around York’s outer ring road.

Julian Sturdy, the Conservative parliamentary candidate for York Outer, met with bosses from Nestlé, the Local Enterprise Partnership and the Department for Transport in the final week of Parliament to investigate a long-term solution to the issue.

Mr Sturdy said the Department of Transport was now committed to finding a permanent solution to the problems, and had already arranged another meeting between those who attended, following the General Election.

The Tory candidate also revealed Robert Goodwill, the transport minister, has since written to the chief executive of the Highways Agency, requesting the organisations work together to progress their investment plans for the outer ring road.

Mr Sturdy said: “The council is pushing for massive housing developments, which will only increase pressure to our already busy roads. We need to take action now to prevent our city from grinding to a complete halt.”

Cllr David Levene, City of York Council’s cabinet member for Transport, said: “It is a shame he (Julian Sturdy) has been unable to fulfil his 2010 election pledge to dual the ring road despite having been a minister in the Department for Transport.