TRANSPORT bosses are to bid for up to £160 million that could be used to dual sections of York's congested outer ring road, The Press can reveal.

Coun Steve Galloway, leader of City Of York Council, said yesterday he was unable to confirm which parts of the road might be dualled if the city secured the cash from the Government.

Traffic chiefs are set to apply to the regional transport board for the money in October, as part of the Access York bid, which Coun Galloway described as "vital to the future prosperity of the city and its residents".

He said dualling was something that could be considered. "Some sections of the ring road might be considered as part of the full traffic assessment being carried out on the ring road by our consultants," he said.

In a three-pronged move to avoid total gridlock, transport bosses are lining up a bid for £26.5 million to pay for three new Park&Ride sites, and one for in excess of £5 million to upgrade the Hopgrove Roundabout.

Coun Galloway said if the Ocotber bid was successful, the money "may be used to dual certain sections of the outer ring road".

He said: "The number one priority is to secure additional investment in the transport infrastructure of the city.

"For that reason, I would be delighted if the regional planning board did decide to provide funding which would reduce congestion on the northern by pass.

"I very much support investment in improving the capacity of the junctions on the ring road - that's the key to reducing congestion in and around the city.

Coun Galloway said the new Park&Ride sites would be at Askham Bar, on the A59 at Poppleton and on Wigginton Road.

He said the funds would initially be used to improve certain junctions on the outer ring road, such as the A59 at Poppleton, and Wigginton Road.

The cash would then probably be spent on undertaking "significant works" at other junctions on the ring road, which might include the A19 and Haxby Road.

He said the improvements could include enlarging the roundabouts at those junctions - and that the next step would be to put in "a flyover of some sort".

Each junction would be individually assessed as to whether it would benefit from such a structure, Coun Galloway said.

The bids for cash to finance the Park&Ride sites, and for improvements to the Hopgrove Roundabout, are set to be submitted to the regional transport board next month.


Key points from council's queue-busting proposals

* Askham Bar Park&Ride. Coun Galloway said the existing 550-space site was too small and regularly full by 10am. He said a new 1,250-space site was proposed for the former landfill tip, which would reduce traffic at the Moor Lane roundabout and mean that drivers arriving from the west could use the first park and ride site.

* A59 Poppleton park and ride. Coun Galloway said a 750-space site would intercept traffic from the north-west and Harrogate. He said the adjacent A59 outer ring road roundabout would have to be upgraded to minimise delays to buses crossing the ring road.

* Wigginton Road Park& Ride. The 750-space site would intercept traffic from the north using the road from Helmsley, Coun Galloway said. The bus route would serve the hospital.

* Outer ring road. Coun Galloway said a number of options for improvements were being investigated. He said improvements would include the provision of enhanced crossing points, such as subways at key locations. They would involve creating a cycle route between Strensall Road and Wigginton Road, opening up routes for cyclists to the Clifton Moor employment site, he said.

* Hopgrove Roundabout. The roundabout restricts traffic flow at the junction with the A64 trunk road, he said. Coun Galloway said it was anticipated that the improvements proposed by the Highways Agency would reduce evening peak time delays by half.


Roundabout redone

JUST when you thought it was safe to go back on York's outer ring road, they started digging it up again.

A section of the A1237 road around the new Moor Lane roundabout has been resurfaced by contractors after they admitted it was defective.

A City of York Council spokeswoman said the work took place last week on the roundabout and the ring road to the north.

She said it had been agreed that three areas on Askham Lane were also defective, and they were to be planed out and reinstated this week.

She stressed that the work would not lead to the taxpayer facing any extra costs.

"The surfacing contractor has accepted that some the original surfacing was defective and agreed to replace those areas at no extra cost to the council or the taxpayer," she said.


Experts face grilling over A19

TRANSPORT bosses were questioned by dozens of villagers who raised concerns about proposals for one of York's busiest roads.

Fulford residents yesterday attended a public exhibition and meeting at Fulford Social Hall about City of York Council's plans for the A19 through the village.

The package of measures includes new bus and cycle lanes and several new traffic lights in Fulford Road and Fishergate, and some residents said they feared such measures would end up worsening congestion for car drivers.

Gordon Lockwood said the proposals also made no mention of the hundreds of extra motorists that would emerge onto the A19 if the Germany Beck housing scheme went ahead.

Another public exhibition takes place at the Danesgate Pupil Support Centre at Fulford Cross tomorrow, from 2pm until 7pm, followed by a public meeting from 7 until 9pm.