York: £65m outer ring road dual carriageway plan submitted

A 4.6-mile section of the A1237 will be turned into a dual carriageway, if planning permission is granted

Plans to turn a large section of York's outer ring road into a dual carriageway have been submitted by the council.

The £65m project would see a stretch of single carriageway on the A1237 to the north of the city widened and five roundabouts expanded.

York Council leader Keith Aspden said the scheme would "cut congestion, improve air quality and offer more active travel opportunities".

Work is expected to start in 2023 if the planning application is approved.

Mark Ramsden, from West Yorkshire Combined Authority, with Gary Frost and Keith Aspden from City of York Council

A 4.6-mile (7.5km) section of the A1237 would be turned into a dual carriageway in both directions between the A19 Shipton Road and the A1036 at Little Hopgrove, if the application gets the go-ahead.

Roundabouts at Clifton Moor, Wigginton Road, Haxby Road, Strensall Road and Monks Cross would also be increased in size.

The route would also be improved for cyclists and pedestrians, according to City of York Council, with plans for a 3.1-mile (5.1km) footpath between Shipton Road and Strensall Road, a signalled crossing at Monks Cross roundabout and new underpasses.

Councillor Aspden said submission of the planning application was a "significant step forward".

He said: "Dualling the outer ring road has been a long-held ambition, so I look forward to the project progressing to harness the significant economic and environmental benefits these improvements will bring to the city."

If the planning application is approved, the project is expected to be finished by 2025, a council spokesperson said.