The discovery of great crested newts has delayed the A1(M) junction 47 upgrade near Knaresborough — which is now set to overrun by at least six months.
North Yorkshire County Council, the highways authority, also revealed today the scheme was set to cost considerably more than the original £7.7m budget.
It said spending had racked up to £10 million by September and “the latest estimated costs are the subject of detailed discussions with the council’s contractor and will be publicly available once agreement is confirmed”.
It said in a statement:
“Encountering unforeseen poor ground conditions on the southbound slip road has significantly restricted the speed of work taking place and the methods that can be used.
“In addition, the discovery of great crested newts caused a delay as they legally had to be relocated. During the coronavirus pandemic, operatives had to comply with secure site procedures which also extended the timescale.”
Work by contractors Farrans Construction began in September last year to widen three of the four slip roads and install traffic lights to prevent vehicles queueing.
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It was initially due to finish in September but the council said in August that “unforeseen ground conditions” meant it would finish this month.
North Yorkshire County Councillor Don Mackenzie, executive member for access, said:
“We are looking forward to the completion of this important scheme, which anticipates significant residential and commercial development along the A59 corridor.
“The prolongation of the schedule is not expected to cause disruption to traffic flows at the junction and will be accompanied by additional safety work on the vehicle restraint systems on the A1M slip roads.
“Whilst progress on construction works will depend upon winter weather conditions, we are confident that we can fully complete the scheme by spring.
‘Long-term benefits’
As well as widening the slip roads, traffic signals will be installed on the roundabout to improve traffic flow. Signals will also be added to the T-junction between the A168 and the A59, a short distance from junction 47 on the York side to benefit drivers turning onto the A59 and to improve safety.
To the west of Junction 47, between the A1 and the Flaxby roundabout, a lane will be added for traffic travelling east, so there will be two lanes in each direction between those two roundabouts.
Cllr Andy Paraskos, member for the Ainsty division, added:
“The delays to the project are unfortunate, but unforeseen issues are always a risk on major schemes like this. We can look forward to the long-term benefits from next spring for residents, commuters and visitors for many years to come.”
The project has been funded by £2.47m from the government’s Local Growth Fund, secured by the York and North Yorkshire Local Enterprise Partnership, along with contributions from the county council, National Highways and developer Forward Investment LLP.
