A MAJOR project to improve a busy North Yorkshire junction has been completed.

Junction 47 on the A1(M) has undergone an upgrade to boost transport links on the dual carriageway and the A59, serving key destinations including York.

Harrogate’s Local Plan identified the A59 corridor as an area of rapid increase in residential and business growth.

Work began on the junction in September 2020 and became fully operational this week.

York Press:

The challenges encountered on this complex project have increased the cost, which was about £10m in September 2021 compared with an original budget cost of £7.7m.

The delays were caused by the discovery of great crested newts as they legally had to be relocated and poor ground conditions on the southbound slip road.

“This important scheme has the aim of supporting the future growth and prosperity of Harrogate and Knaresborough,” said Barrie Mason, North Yorkshire County Council’s assistant director for highways and transportation.

“We anticipate significant residential and commercial development along the A59 corridor, resulting in many more people using this key link road.

“It has been a huge project, involving the widening of three of the four slip roads onto and off the roundabout to increase capacity, as well as a number of junction improvements. The junction suffers from congestion at peak times so it is a great example of how we are improving east-west connections across the county.”

Traffic signals have been installed on the roundabout to improve traffic flow and to the T-junction between the A168 and the A59 a short distance from Junction 47 on the York side to benefit drivers turning onto the A59 and to improve safety.

To the west of Junction 47, between the A1 and the Flaxby roundabout, a lane has been added for traffic travelling east, so there will be two lanes in each direction between those two roundabouts.

This week has seen the new traffic lights switched on for the first time, with traffic management removed and all lanes open.

The new lights will be monitored and adjusting to ensure the timings are at the optimum settings for the traffic flows.

The project has been supported by £2.47m from the government’s Local Growth Fund, secured by York & North Yorkshire Local Enterprise Partnership, along with contributions from the county council, National Highways and developer Forward Investment LLP.

David Dickson, of the York & North Yorkshire LEP, said: “This project is a real boost for the York and North Yorkshire economy. By improving east-west connectivity, the much improved junction unlocks the opportunity for further economic growth across the region.”

The latest estimated costs are the subject of detailed discussions with the council’s contractor and will be publicly available once agreement is confirmed.