City of York Council is undertaking a targeted consultation on a scheme to improve one of York’s busiest road interchanges.

The consultation on proposed changes to the A19/A64 junction forms the first phase in the A19 Pinch Point Scheme, which York received approximately £2million for from the government’s Department for Transport, aimed at helping support growth and tackle congestion.

The council is now consulting users of the junction on proposed changes which include the addition of an extra inbound lane on the A19 on approach to the Designer Outlet / A64 roundabout.

Plans also include a new additional inbound bus-lane between the two roundabouts which would link into the existing bus-lane on the A19 north of this junction. These works would increase the capacity of this junction and save users time on their journeys through this major interchange.

The council bid for and successfully secured millions in funding from a share of the £170 million government Pinch Point Funding in 2013 to protect the A19 from any future closure.

York received approximately £2million from the Department for Transport towards the cost of the £4.7m project which will help towards supporting local transport schemes that tackle congestion and support growth.

The remaining funding will be provided from the private sector and existing council transport budgets.

Businesses and those users directly affected by the works (no residents live within close proximity to the first phase of works) are asked to submit comments by Friday 12 December 2014.

All feedback will be carefully considered and taken to a Cabinet Member for Transport decision session on how to proceed. It is anticipated that, subject to approval, construction would commence in the spring of 2015.

Future phases will be consulted on separately to this first phase in early 2015, to be constructed later in the year.Plans for Phase 1 are available to view at www.york.gov.uk/A19pinchpoint and at a Fulford Parish Council a meeting on 2 December.