Ring road plan 'progressing' amid funds criticism

Improvements would be made to Clifton Moor roundabout, which is a key part of the York Outer Ring Road project

A project to dual more of York's outer ring road is said to be moving forward, despite claims of inaction over a near-£100m funding gap.

The scheme to dual the road from the A19 to the Little Hopgrove roundabout was approved in 2024 at an estimated cost of £66.4m but that has since risen to £164m.

Liberal Democrat councillor Stephen Fenton said a Freedom of Information request had shown no representations for funding had been made beyond securing £25m from the government.

Councillor Kate Ravilious, transport executive member for the Labour-run authority, said her administration was working hard to secure the extra cash.

A recent full council meeting was told officials were progressing with design, procurement and legal work for the first phase of the scheme.

However Fenton, opposition transport spokesperson, said the FOI made it "crystal clear" the authority had done "absolutely nothing" to explore further funding.

He said: "This is nothing short of a scandal - Labour promised to fight for York and to lobby the government when costs increased."

Councillor Chris Steward, leader of the council's Conservative group, said the only things that had happened on the scheme had been an array of photo opportunities, spin and supposed announcements, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

"In reality there has been no progress made at all and the costs of the project continue to rise which means as and when any dualling happens it will be more limited than ever."

In response, Ravilious said the government grant was based on underestimates for the total project cost from the previous Liberal Democrat-led administration.

She said Labour remained committed to delivering the project and the Liberal Democrats were desperately searching for a scandal where there was none to be found.

"At the time of lobbying we only had the Liberal Democrat administration's wishful underestimated costs to go on, we couldn't ask for more funding without evidencing the cost," she added.

"Having since done the robust cost estimate for the scheme we will now work hard to gain the remaining funding that is needed."

Listen to highlights from North Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North.