WORK to complete the controversial new route out of York railway station has hit the buffers.

The Evening Press reported last week about the "crazy delays" suffered by taxi drivers because of the new one-way loop at Tea Room Square. At busy times, customers are forking out £3 in fares before they even reach the road.

Now City of York Council contractors are being forced to rip up the asphalt laid on the loop surface after faults were discovered.

The station's improvement scheme, which has included scrapping the taxi rank in the middle of Station Road, has already suffered months of delays and gone £125,000 over budget.

Council chiefs said the cost to put right the problems to the loop surface would not be met by taxpayers.

Ian Gillies, secretary of Station Taxis, said: "It seems to be one calamity after another.

"The problem is that the contractors have to shut the station portico when they surface the loop, which causes a real hassle."

The council's Labour transport spokeswoman, Tracey Simpson-Laing, today called for an inquiry into the delays.

"I've already expressed concerns about the overrunning of the work and the condition of some of the asphalt a month ago," she said.

"There should be a draft report presented to members detailing why there has been an overspend and who is to blame."

Station taxi driver Tony Miller said: "The sooner it's sorted out the better."

"I'm disgusted how all this has gone on," said David Darcy, another driver at York station.

"There has been no consultation over this scheme - we just get bypassed."

A City of York Council spokeswoman said: "We are aware that the asphalt is faulty, and are working with the contractor who carried out the work to carry out tests to establish why.

"It could be due to faulty materials being used or caused by a fault with the laying process.

"For example, extremely cold temperatures at the time the work was carried out may have had such an effect.

"We will be removing the defective asphalt and re-laying it in the near future, and apologise sincerely for any inconvenience caused.

"This work will be done at no cost to the council."

Updated: 09:29 Tuesday, April 04, 2006