York and North Yorkshire’s Labour mayor has said he is prioritising improvements to public transport after the Conservatives accused him of failing to move forward with dualling the A64.
Conservatives including York Council group leader Coun Chris Steward said internal combined authority communications showed inaction and moving the goal posts on long sought after improvements to the road.
But Mayor David Skaith said public transport improvements could be made at a fraction of the cost and Conservatives failed to make progress on the A64 in Government.
It follows a freedom of information request from Conservative Thirsk and Malton MP Kevin Hollinrake which obtained emails between combined authority officials discussing their approach to the project.
Dualling the A64, which runs from York to Scarborough, was a leading talking point during the 2024 mayoral election and campaigners have long called for the improvements.
But the documents showed officials saying that they changed references to dualling to improvements and admitting little progress had been made on a corridor study.
Elsewhere officials said the scheme would require significant financial support from the Government. They also recommended holding back on showing something was being done on it.
The Conservatives have said the exchanges expose a culture of spin, evasion and inaction on the A64.
York Conservative group leader Cllr Chris Steward said everyone from residents to businesses agreed the project would be a big focus for whoever became mayor.
He said: “It is therefore incredibly disappointing to see such an abject failure on the crucial A64.
“It is unsurprising given the influence through every aspect of the mayor’s office of York Labour who are also rolling back on the dualling of the A1237 which the Conservatives provided funding for.”
Tom Paul, chair of the A64 Growth Partnership, said the correspondence was infuriating.
Mr Paul said: “We have been campaigning to dual the A64 for 50 years now and absolutely nothing has happened.
“The region has lost the opportunity for any growth and wealth creation across this period and all we get is a talking shop and zero action from the politicians.”
‘Starved of investment’
York Liberal Democrat transport spokesperson Cllr Stephen Fenton said: “The congestion that regularly clogs up the A64 has a huge impact on local residents and businesses and is holding back the local economy.
“For all the Tory talk about ‘levelling up’ the north, the reality is that we were being starved of much-needed infrastructure investment by the previous Government. Now history seems to be repeating itself with a Labour Government and Labour Mayor.
Speaking to BBC Radio York, Mr Skaith said discussions with the Government on the project remain ongoing.
But he added it may not be a priority for them given national funding shortfalls with previous Conservative Government funding pledges amounting to broken promises.
The mayor said: “The money was never there and dualling is hugely costly. We’re talking about £300m to £500m and it could take a decade to get it over the line, with that money you could transform public transport in York and North Yorkshire.
“My priorities are improving bus and rail, when we have other priorities it’s about what’s the best bang for your buck.”
The mayor told the Local Democracy Reporting Service said an integrated transport system was needed for the region and cars would have a role in that.
Mr Skaith said: “That’s why I am regularly asking government for long-term transport and highways funding to allow us to fix our bus network, improve our rail services, and, if the money becomes available, dual the A64.”