£3.9 million scheme to upgrade A1079 roundabout completed

The work has involved increasing the capacity of Shiptonthorpe Roundabout,where the A1079 meets the A614, by widening all the entry and exit lanes and has provided a new fifth arm to access the roundabout from the A1079.

East Riding of Yorkshire Council said the improvements will reduce the delays and congestion that can form on the A1079 approaches to the roundabout at peak times and will cater for future traffic growth.

The new fifth arm at the roundabout allows 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 council wishes to stress that a very small number of minor jobs on the site remain to be completed, and this will happen in due course after restrictions related to Covid-19 are lifted.

The cost of the scheme was £3.9 million, which included a £3.12 million contribution from the Government’s Local Growth Fund secured by the York & North Yorkshire Local Enterprise Partnership, following a successful bid by the council.

Councillor Chris Matthews, the council’s portfolio holder for strategic management, said: “I am delighted that this vital project has now been completed, and I would like to thank road users and local residents for their patience during the long construction period. This work should bring about significant improvements for users of both these major routes, and for the local businesses as well, whose customers will find access and egress much easier from now on.”

David Dickson, chair of the Infrastructure Board for the York & North Yorkshire Local Enterprise Partnership, added: “This investment demonstrates the LEP’s commitment to improve East-West connectivity in the region, and benefits a significant number in our community. The A1079 is the primary transport link between York and Hull, connecting communities and businesses including the key market towns of Pocklington, Market Weighton and Beverley. The road is vital for freight accessing the Humber ports and for access for employment to York and Hull. The junction is on the route that links South and West Yorkshire to the North and East Yorkshire coast including the coastal settlements of Bridlington and Scarborough, a key tourism route that is also used by our fishing industries to quickly transport their catch to locations across Europe.

“The work on the A1079 at Shiptonthorpe also complements a £900,000 Local Growth Fund investment to improve traffic flow at the Killingwoldgraves roundabout.”

Councillor Katy Wrathall, vice chairman of Shiptonthorpe Parish Council, commented: “Shiptonthorpe Parish Council has been looking forward to the opening of the improved roundabout and road layout. The pedestrian crossing created as part of the works is already making a positive difference, giving residents safer access to local businesses and public transport, and the completion of the scheme will hopefully improve this further.”