York Outer Ring Road dualling scheme at risk

York’s Liberal Democrat councillors have called on York & North Yorkshire Labour Mayor, David Skaith, and the Labour Government, to step in and save the scheme to dual York’s Outer Ring Road. 

A report on the Council’s Capital Budget for 2025/26 has revealed a drastic scaling back of the project due to delays and cost increases. The report says:

“It is at present looking unlikely that efforts to fill the funding gap will prove successful therefore CYC is looking to potentially reduce the scope of the works to accord with the available funding.

“This will involve optioneering and value engineering to establish what elements of the scheme, in economic terms, are best value for money. Given the nature of the works, the likely reduction in scope will involve sections of the dualling scheme being omitted and focus being turned to upgrade roundabouts and improvements to active travel measures.” 

Councillor Stephen Fenton, Liberal Democrat Spokesperson for Transport said:

“It’s make or break time for this project which is vital for York’s future development. The housing developments around the north of the city are reliant on investment in infrastructure such as A1237 dualling. There is a real risk that we are about to repeat the mistakes of the past – when the A1237 was built in the 1980s if was constructed single rather than dual carriageway, and we have been paying the price of that missed opportunity ever since.

“Labour took control of York Council in 2023 on the back of a promise that “A1237 dualling and upgrades will be delivered alongside measures to remove congestion and unnecessary through-traffic in the city.” It’s now time for them to deliver on that promise by ensuring that the funding needed for the project is secured from the Labour Mayor or the Labour Government.

“In July last year a ‘pipeline’ of York projects for Mayoral funding was agreed following cross-party scrutiny, and this included plugging the funding gap in the dualling project caused by cost inflation. And in November the then Transport Secretary Louise Haigh said that “the funding’s been considered in the normal and proper way but it’s not being delayed or stopped”. The Labour Mayor and Labour Government now need to step up and provide the required funding.

“York’s Local Plan is set to deliver thousands of much-needed new homes around the city, with 1,300 new homes on the Clifton Moor Gate site alone. Unless the dualling of the ring road is delivered, there is a real risk of gridlock. If the scheme is dropped or scaled back it will also hinder efforts to reduce through-traffic in the city centre and create more space for buses, cycling, walking and wheeling.

“There is cross-party support for the dualling scheme among all parties on City of York Council – we now need Labour to deliver on their commitments locally, regionally and nationally to ensure that the scheme goes ahead.”