PLANS to upgrade junctions on Wigginton Road have been changed to reflect residents' views.

City of York Council launched a consultation on proposals to improve junctions between Haxby Road, Wigginton Road, Clarence Street and Lowther Street, as well as the Scarborough Terrace cycle path.

The scheme included replacing the mini-roundabout between Wigginton Road and Fountayne Street with a conventional junction.

But people responding to the plans said they did not want the Fountayne Street mini-roundabout to be removed because it would make traffic worse.

In response, the council has scrapped plans to remove the mini-roundabout.

York Bus Forum called for part of the funding to be used for a new bus service to the hospital but a council spokesman said the money has been awarded specifically for use on infrastructure.

Cllr Andy D'Agorne, leader of the Green Party group, said: "While any improvement in journey times for buses is welcome, yet again money allocated specifically for public transport measures is being used by City of York Council for upgrading outdated traffic signals and other work to benefit all road users. I have asked the chief executive and director to investigate this misuse of transport funding. While the proposal for better bus services for the hospital may be at an early stage there is no reason why some of this capital funding couldn’t be used to invest in a bespoke vehicle, IT etc to cater for the needs of such a new service to the hospital."

Cllr Denise Craghill welcomed the decision not to remove the mini-roundabout but raised concerns about other aspects of the scheme.

She said: "I welcome the decision not to remove the mini-roundabout at Fountayne Street, following the campaign by local residents who pointed out that speeding up traffic at that junction by removing the roundabout would make an already difficult situation even worse.

"I’m also pleased that the paper recommends further work to improve safety at the Fountayne Street junction. This was something I asked officers to look at over two years ago, but was assured would be addressed by the bus priority work.

"I’m also pleased that officers have taken on board my suggestions for further work on traffic, transport and infrastructure in the wider area around Wigginton and Haxby roads, given the amount of new development in the area and also the need for further work on hospital transport.

"I am less than convinced about the effectiveness of the proposed work at the Lowther Street junction in terms of improving bus journeys and the fact that at least half of the money will be used on renewing traffic lights and road resurfacing, which should come out of general budgets."

The council's Executive member for transport and planning, Cllr Peter Dew, will be asked to accept council officers' recommendations to go ahead with the changes to the Wigginton Road and Haxby Road junction but not the plans to remove the mini-roundabout at Fountayne Street.

If the proposals are given the green light at the meeting on October 25, the work will be carried out during the first four months of 2019.