Work starts at last on £22m town relief road

MOTORISTS are being warned to expect some short-term pain as work begins today on a long-awaited £22m relief road for an East Riding market town.

One of the large capital investments ever undertaken by East Riding Council, which is putting in £5.2m of its money, the Beverley Southern Relief Road aims to relieve congestion in the town’s confined mediaeval streets and around its historic Minster.

Yorkshire-based contractor Birse Civils has been hired to build the 1.5-mile road, which will run from the Morrisons roundabout around the south of Beverley to the A1174 Hull Road, and is due to be completed by early 2015.

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Council leader Coun Steve Parnaby said the contractor had been given the brief to source local expertise and materials “wherever possible” and provide work experience and placements. He said: “We are pleased to be getting started on this important transport infrastructure scheme, which will provide both short and long term benefits for Beverley and the wider East Riding.

“Unfortunately there will be some short-term disruption, unavoidable due to the nature of the works, but we hope to keep these to a minimum and would like to thank our residents, motorists and the travelling public in advance for their patience and understanding.

“When complete all of these groups will benefit from improved transport infrastructure for decades to come.”

Shepherds Lane will be closed permanently to motorised vehicles from today. Long Lane will also have a temporary road closure for a certain period. Woodmansey councillor Kerri Harold, who ran a taxi firm in the town before becoming a councillor, said she would have preferred a scheme that didn’t involve the eventual closure of the Flemingate level crossing and fears it will force drivers to use smaller streets for rat runs. She said: “I’m a little bit sceptical – but I may be proved wrong.”