York Outer Ring Road: 'No loss of desire' from council to dual York's Outer Ring Road
York Council’s Labour Economy Executive Member Coun Pete Kilbane said it would be up to the authority to achieve what it could with the cash available amid funding gap warnings.
Liberal Democrat opposition leader Coun Nigel Ayre said any reduction in the project’s scope could not be allowed to happen as rising construction costs continued to increase schemes’ final bills.
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Hide AdThe comments came as the council’s Executive met to discuss Budget proposals for the coming financial year.


The meeting, on Tuesday, January 21, came ahead of the proposals being put to all councillors for a vote on Thursday, February 27.
Labour Council finance spokesperson Coun Katie Lomas said progress made on bringing spending under control meant more investments could be made in front line services which would face no new cuts.
Investment proposals discussed at the meeting included £150,000 for the creation of new Neighbourhood Caretaker roles, £800,000 for modernising council homes and £5.2m on improving gypsy and traveller accommodation.
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Hide AdCouncillors heard the council was currently looking at a £2.6m overspend for the current financial year compared to around £11m forecast a year ago.
But £1.7m in cuts already agreed last year will be made from April with the council making to make a further £1.8m in efficiency savings including in back office functions.
Plans to hike council tax by the 4.99 per cent, increase charges in council-run car parks and warnings about funding for major capital projects have also provoked opposition and concern.
York BID Chief Executive Andrew Lowson said plans to hike parking charges focused on making money at peak times but not on offers to bring people in during quieter periods.
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Hide AdHe added the increases send potential city centre visitors elsewhere and came as businesses already faced rising costs including in National Insurance contributions from April.
Proposals for charges would see them rise to £4.85-an-hour for the first two, by an extra 10 per cent on Fridays, Saturdays and during events.
Minster Badge holders would get a 30 per cent discount.
Green transport spokesperson Andy D’Agorne told the meeting £7.8m in spending to improve buses being pushed back after March would mean unpredictable and unreliable services would continue.
Council transport spokesperson Coun Kate Ravilious said evidence showed more people were coming into York despite charges going up last year showing they would use alternate modes of travel.
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Hide AdShe added the proposals would do away with the current individual rates for each car park, providing visitors with greater clarity, and aimed to cut congestion at peak times.
Coun Ravilious also said efforts to encourage bus use, which charge hikes partly aimed to do, were succeeding in response to Mr D’Agorne’s claims £100,000 had been wasted on marketing.
She added £20,000 set aside to explore a replacement Dial & Ride service would be used to find a model that could work going forward amid cost and timescale concerns.
Liberal Democrat Coun Ayre said warnings about funding for the York Station Gateway and Outer Ring Road projects were followed the pushing back of spending into future years amid rising costs.
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Hide AdCouncil economy spokesperson Coun Pete Kilbane previously said additional funding would be required for the Station Gateway.
A council report stated a significant funding gap had opened in the Outer Ring Road Project meaning it may potentially be scaled back and some dualling omitted.
Labour’s Coun Kilbane told the meeting the council recognised the scheme was needed for residents and businesses looking to invest in York.
Coun Kilbane said: “We need to make sure that we’re delivering the connections that are needed for sites that are coming forward.
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Hide Ad“This administration remains committed to making sure those strategic development sites will be accessed.”
“By focusing on those in the first tranche of works it doesn’t mean that we’ve lost the ambition or desire to dual the Outer Ring Road it just means we need to find the funds from other sources.”
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