York Liberal Democrats Demand Answers from Labour Over Outer Ring Road Funding Failure

The York Liberal Democrats are demanding urgent answers from City of York Council's Labour administration after the council admitted it has failed to secure the necessary Government funding to dual York’s Outer Ring Road.

Despite the Government’s clear announcement, still online, that funding was being made available for 'Dualling the A1237 between the A19 at Rawcliffe and the A1036 Malton Rd at the Hopgrove junction with the A64', the Labour Executive Member for Transport now states that the funding is only sufficient to 'complete Clifton Moor roundabout, Wigginton Road roundabout and the interlinks in line with the ST14 strategic housing site'.

This is a huge betrayal for the residents and businesses who had hoped progress would finally be made on dualling the Outer Ring Road, a project seen as critical for easing congestion, unlocking economic growth and making bus journeys and cycling inside the ring road quicker, easier and safer.

York Liberal Democrat Transport Spokesperson, Councillor Stephen Fenton said: 

“It is simply not good enough that York has missed out on this funding. The Government clearly thought it was making sufficient funding available to dual the stretch of the outer ring road between the A19 and the Hopgrove junction, but it seems that due to the Labour council’s lack of communication, preparation and ambition, following the increase in costs associated with the project announced last year, the funding will be nowhere near sufficient. Once again, our city has missed out due to Labour's dithering. 

“Local people deserve to know why this failure has happened and what Labour intends to do to put it right.”

After the announcement that the dualling of the ring road was being fully funded, the Government stated that negotiations would commence with the council over the exact figure to be provided, however, just days after, the Council confirmed that no additional funding was being provided, and will not provide a clear answer on what it asked from the Government, if anything, or if the expected meetings even took place. 

The Liberal Democrats are calling for Labour leaders to publish all correspondence with the Treasury and the Department for Transport and explain how the Government came to announce funding for the dualling of the outer ring road, while only providing sufficient funding to improve a couple of roundabouts.

York Liberal Democrats will continue to fight for the transport upgrades the city needs and insist on full transparency from those in charge.