Updated: HUNDREDS of motorists were caught in rush-hour delays on the A19 after the installation of upgraded traffic lights in York was delayed.

Motorist Jack Leahy, 58, said it took him 90 minutes to get from his home in Thorpe Willoughby, near Selby, to Imphal Barracks, in Fulford Road, York, yesterday, a journey that usually takes him no more than 40 minutes.

He said: “You can’t move down Heslington Lane going to the university from the A19. They’re causing queues all the way back to the other side of Riccall.”

The work was taking place on the junction of the A19 with Heslington Road, where City of York Council set up temporary traffic lights while they put up the new ones.

A council spokeswoman said: “This work is part of the A19 improvement scheme and involves the installation of upgraded traffic lights. The first upgrade was on the A19/Fulford Broadway junction on March 14 and the second was at the Hospital Fields/A19 junction on March 16. Both went very smoothly.

“The third, at Heslington Road, was delayed by one day because the concrete in which one of the posts stands, was found to have wiring embedded in it and required careful removal. The work is now complete and the new traffic lights have been switched on. The new controllers installed at the three junctions will allow better detection of approaching vehicles and optimisation of traffic flow.

“This work has been planned to take place while the University of York is on holiday to minimise disruption, and planned to be done during the day to keep down costs and not to expose residents to undue noise during the night.”

* A woman was taken to York Hospital suffering a neck injury after a two car collision in in Elvington Lane, Elvington, at 8.30am yesterday. Police said her injury was not believed to be serious.