OPPOSITION Liberal Democrats are demanding answers from the ruling Labour group on City of York Council after saying it failed to secure the necessary funding to dual the outer ring road from the A64 Hopgrove Roundabout to the A19 at Rawcliffe.
The call comes as the city council now plans to phase the dualling, with work initially just covering the roundabouts at Clifton Moor, Wiggington Road and the ‘interlinks’ with the ST14 strategic housing site to the west known as Clifton Gate Garden Village.
The staggering of the dualling work follows initial budget estimates for the scheme increasing from £67.4million last year, when Labour called for a review into the project, to an estimated £164 million today.
The Liberal Democrats have called the move “a huge betrayal” to the city’s residents and business, especially as central government’s own website said the road would be dualled from the A19 to the A64.
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York Liberal Democrat transport spokesperson, Cllr Stephen Fenton said: “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.”
Central government, he continued, had promised to fully fund the upgrade, but days later, the council confirmed no extra funding would be forthcoming.
This has led the Liberal Democrats to demand the council publishes correspondence between it, the Treasury and the Department of Transport to explain how central government announced funding to dual the road, while only providing enough funds to improve a few roundabouts.
Cllr Katie Lomas (Image: Pic supplied)
Labour has hit back, saying the Liberal Democrats are deflecting attention from when they were in power and unable to get the road dualled, delays which led to the cost increases all major projects face.
Executive Member for finance and major projects, Cllr Katie Lomas said: “The reality is the original cost was only an estimate.
“Since a planning application for the dualling scheme was approved last year, it’s been necessary to properly cost the scheme as we get closer to spades in the ground.
“Unlike the reckless ‘all or nothing’ approach the Liberal Democrats appear to want to take, we have broken the project down into phases to minimise risks, maximise pace of progress and to ensure that York residents start to feel the benefits as soon as possible.”
Luke Charters MP (Image: Pic supplied)
She added: “We have lobbied Government and will continue to do so to ensure further funding is brought in as we continue to make progress on this important scheme.”
York Outer Labour MP Luke Charters added the Liberal Democrats “have a nerve lecturing on transport” when he says they failed to gain sufficient funding to deliver Haxby Station.
Mr Charters added: “Under Labour, progress will finally be made on dualling the Ring Road, after years of Liberal Democrat delays that left costs spiralling out of control. Of course, like any major infrastructure project this will be staggered.
“Residents of York Outer know that the Liberal Democrats shout from the side-lines but fail when given responsibility.”
However, Cllr Chris Steward, the Conservative group leader on the city council, said: “Labour’s handling of the supposed dualling of the A1237 remains in total disarray, the only thing the council or government has managed is press releases.
Cllr Chris Steward (Image: Pic supplied)
“The funding for dualling the majority of the road was secured under the previous government, now Labour delays have seen the cost of the project soar and the whilst the government claimed it was stepping in to cover the cost this is seemingly not the case.
“From this to the utter farce of the previous Lib Dem administration having a Transport Executive Member who opposed the dualling, York residents deserve so much better.”
Thirsk and Malton MP Kevin Hollinrake who has campaigned for the dualling of the outer ring road, as well as the A64, calls the situation “a shambles”.
Kevin Hollinrake MP (Image: Pic supplied)
He said: “The government should fund the difference. It was promised so it should be delivered. The mayor (of York and North Yorkshire David Skaith) should be banging at the table. It’s not just about York but the whole of the region.”
The Conservative MP added: “I see precious little of that from local Labour MPs. It’s simply wrong and it won’t be forgotten by the good people of North Yorkshire.”
A spokesperson for Mayor David Skaith said: “People in our region are far more interested in getting results than playing the blame game.
“Contrary to Mr Hollinrake’s suggestion, the Mayor consistently ‘bangs the table’ for York and North Yorkshire, with the York Outer Ring Road being just one of the vital infrastructure improvements our region needs and deserves.”
