PLANS to dual York's outer ring road have been given overwhelming backing from residents.

According to City of York Council leader, Keith Aspden, the A1237 York outer ring road dualling consultation saw 79 per cent of respondents support the project with more than 3,500 comments received from residents and stakeholders, which have helped to revise the project plan to include more pedestrian and cycle crossing facilities and routes.

The council’s executive is set to receive a report on the results and the consultation followed the announcement in 2019 that the Department for Transport had approved York’s £25 million scheme to dual the Outer Ring Road from the A19 Shipton Road to the A1036 Little Hopgrove.

Since early spring 2021 the project has progressed at pace, including the evaluation of the consultation process, development of the detail design and business case, preparing a planning application and acquisition of land.

Cllr Aspden said: “The consultation process has made it clear that residents and stakeholders are squarely behind this scheme. I’m glad to see the project now includes even more provision to support safe walking and cycling facilities, adding to the over 6km of walking and cycling network, underpasses and bridleways across the ring road.

“Upgrading the ring road provides us with an opportunity to reduce congestion and journey times, which would see car journeys move out of the city centre, aiding in our continued work to improve air quality. Liberal Democrat councillors have lobbied extensively for years to secure Government funding to dual and upgrade the York Outer Ring Road and I know local residents and businesses will be pleased to see the scheme progress.”

Labour’s transport spokesperson, Cllr Rachel Melly said: “Dualling the road is an important part of the outer ring road upgrades, and will partially ease congestion in the short-term. But current plans lack adequate supporting infrastructure to encourage more cycling and walking in the longer term.

“Council modelling has already shown this dualling scheme will return journey times to their current levels in several years’ time, so more much effort and vision is needed to support people to make more local journeys through walking, cycling and public transport. The scheme also cuts off communities outside the ring road from those inside the ring road, providing another barrier to cycling following years of decline in cycling activity in York.

“The current blinkered, short-term approach is also inconsistent with both the Lib Dem-Green council’s declared commitment to tackling the climate emergency and its deeply flawed carbon reduction objective.”

The following additions to the project will be presented to the executive for approval at a meeting next Thursday (September 30):

1. The provision of pedestrian and cycle crossing facilities at the junction of Wigginton Road with the A1237 to improve safety and access for active travel around the roundabout and to link into local services and amenities located north east of the intersection.

2. The provision of a safeguarded route for a future 1.1km length of orbital pedestrian/cycle route from Strensall Road junction to Monks Cross roundabout.

3. Diversion of Bridleway no. 4 at Huntington and provision of a Pegasus Crossing at Monks Cross junction.

4. Design and development amendments regarding noise and environmental mitigation.

5. Realignment of dualling from land to the north of the existing carriageway to the south side extending in a north westerly direction from Little Hopgrove roundabout for approximately 750m.