York's Queen Street Bridge and station car park to shut for two weekends

Mike O'Shaughnessy says taxi drivers will "really struggle" with the closures

Drivers in York have shared concerns ahead of planned weekend road closures at the city's rail station this month.

Queen Street Bridge and the LNER car park outside the station will close from 20:00 BST on Friday 19 April until 06:00 on Monday 22 April.

Closures will be in place again at the same times the following weekend as work to transform the station entrance is carried out.

People told BBC Radio York the works would be a "great inconvenience".

Linda Burnham, who was picking up her friend from the station, said: "She has some mobility problems and it's going to be very difficult to navigate my way around York to get to a stage where she can out of my car.

"I won't be able to escort her to the platform because there will be nowhere to park. I will have to just drop her off.

"I know work has to be done but this is a great inconvenience to somebody who needs all the help she can get."

• York Station: Queen Street Bridge to shut for April weekend

Meanwhile, taxi driver Mike O'Shaughnessy added the disruptions would mean his colleagues will "really struggle" picking up and dropping off customers near the busy station.

However, Kim May was upbeat about the bigger picture. She said: "It'll be hard but we will get through it.

"The project is good and I can't wait to see it, as it needed doing and there's no way they could have done it without disruption."

Queen Street Bridge next to York Station is set to be removed

City of York Council said the closures would be in place to allow for the diversion road to be completed through what was previously part of the station car park and also to start work to remove Queen Street Bridge.

The diversion road will then be temporarily used by pedestrians, cyclists and vehicles while the project continues.

Trains to and from York will be running as usual while the work is carried out, and the surrounding businesses will still be open as usual.

Councillor Pete Kilbane, deputy leader of City of York Council, advised people to plan their journeys ahead in order to "keep disruption to a minimum".

"To minimise congestion, it is more important than ever for visitors to arrive by train or Park and Ride and for residents, if possible, to leave the car at home," he added.