York Lib Dems call for urgent Outer Ring Road clarity

Following yesterday’s announcement by the new Chancellor Rachel Reeves that £800 million worth of “unfunded” transport spending is to be axed, York Liberal Democrats are calling for urgent clarity over the future of the Outer Ring Road dualling project.

Planning permission for the first phase of the Outer Ring Road dualling from the A19 to the Little Hopgrove roundabout was granted in March but works have not started yet on the project that is reliant on £25 million from the Department for Transport. 

Lib Dem Group Transport spokesperson Councillor Stephen Fenton said:

“The dualling of the York Outer Ring Road is something that Liberal Democrat Councillors have been campaigning on for the last 40 years. This is a necessary infrastructure project that will help reduce congestion, reduce car journeys through the city centre alongside improving active travel infrastructure. 

“This project is vital for York’s surrounding villages as it will improve their connectivity and help to create the conditions to support more reliable public transport. The proposed dualling is also critical in ensuring that planned and proposed new development in the north of the city can be accommodated without bringing the city to a total standstill.

“When planning permission was granted it was made clear that failure to implement the dualling scheme would likely lead to a variety of negative impacts on York’s wider transport network and housing and commercial development.

“We are demanding urgent clarity from Government on the status of the Outer Ring Road project. Is this scheme now under review, or is the Government going to honour the previous commitments which have won cross-party support and backing from residents?”