PROGRESS on upgrading roundabouts on the outer ring road and plans to dual the carriageway were outlined at a City of York Council meeting.

Work has stalled on the Monks Cross roundabout scheme - which will see the road widened on either side of the roundabout - because of problems with purchasing land.

The land may now have to be bought through a compulsory purchase order so the work can go ahead.

The next roundabout due to be upgraded is Clifton Moor - and councillors approved plans to increase the cost of the work to £7 million after the design of the scheme was changed in response to a consultation.

The plans will now see a fourth arm added to the roundabout in preparation for a new housing development of 1,348 homes on land to the west of Wigginton Road.

And a pedestrian and cycle subway will be created.

Residents will be invited to have their say on the plans before work starts.

Cllr Andy D’Agorne said: “In order not to delay the programme and also to ensure that we future-proof this design to cater for the development, which is identified on the local plan, as the fourth arm of this roundabout, we will actually look for additional funding so that we can work on this particular junction at this point in time, move forward with it and hopefully get the additional funding.”

But senior councillors heard the local authority is still waiting for a decision on government funding to dual two sections of the A1237.

The council has bid for £26 million from the Department for Transport to upgrade the stretch between the A19 at Rawcliffe to Hopgrove Roundabout - and for £63 million part funded by the Major Route Network to dual the carriageway between Rawcliffe and the B1224 Wetherby Road.

Council officers will also look for ways to reduce the local authority’s contribution to the cost of the schemes - by pursuing other funding opportunities.

The council executive approved the plans.