COMPLETION of a £3.9million project to improve a busy roundabout on a main road in East Yorkshire has been delayed.

East Riding of Yorkshire Council has announced that work on the roundabout on the A1079 at Shiptonthorpe will not be finished in December, as originally planned.

Completion is now anticipated in March 2020, due to delays caused by a third party utility contractor who is re-routing underground pipes which need to be moved to allow key elements of the roundabout construction to progress.

An East Riding of Yorkshire Council spokesperson said: “We sincerely apologise for the delay in this scheme, which has been caused by factors outside the direct control of the council.

“However, we ask for the continued patience of all motorists and the travelling public, as we work to complete this important scheme as quickly as possible in the New Year.”

The project involves increasing the capacity of the roundabout by widening the entry and exit lanes and provides a new fifth arm on the A1079.

The aim of the scheme is to reduce the delays and congestion that can form on the A1079 approaches to the roundabout at peak times and to cater for future traffic growth. The new fifth arm at the roundabout will allow through traffic to safely bypass the existing accesses to businesses whilst creating a dedicated access road to the garden centre, petrol station and fast food outlet.

The £3.9m scheme includes a £3.12m contribution from the Government’s Local Growth Fund secured by York, North Yorkshire and East Riding Local Enterprise Partnership, following a successful bid by the council.