• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

News and entertainment worth sharing – York and North Yorkshire

  • News
  • Radio
  • Vouchers
  • WIN
  • More
    • Tickets
    • Lifestyle
    • Advertise
    • About
    • Contact

York’s £38m ring road upgrade is delayed – by newts

Mon 19 Aug

The great crested newt has been found close to the Monks Cross/A1237 roundabout. Photographs © Google Street View / Alexandre Roux on Flickr

Mon 19 Aug 2019  @ 8:08am
Chloe Laversuch - Local Democracy Reporter
Environment, News, Politics

Great crested newts are causing delays to York’s outer ring road upgrade.

And a report warns hold ups to the outer ring road project could have “an impact” on the new stadium – but a council spokesman said it will not cause any delay to the build or opening date and any roadworks will be carefully coordinated.

The newts are a protected species and a licence is needed from Natural England for any work that may disturb or damage their habitats.

The creatures have been found near the site of the Monks Cross roundabout – on the south west side of the A1237 – where work is due to take place on upgrading the road.

A City of York Council report says the local authority needs to purchase nearby land to create a new home for the newts.

But negotiations with landowners are “time-consuming” and a compulsory purchase order – which would enable the council to buy land without the consent of the owner – may be needed.

Protect the population

York Stadium. Photograph: YorkMix
Tony Clarke, head of transport at the council, said a survey for protected species found the great crested newts at the Monks Cross-A1237 roundabout site, adding:

  • We need to provide a hibernaculum [where the animals can shelter in winter] to secure the long-term protection of the area’s newt population.

    We’re looking at where this can go as part of the agreements we’re negotiating with several landowners around the site, and this has caused the delay to the roundabout.

The report says: “This could delay commencement of phase two Monks Cross junction upgrade and impact on the opening of the Community Stadium.”

But a council spokesman said: “This will not cause any delay to the build or opening date, and our project teams are coordinating roadworks to minimise the impact on the road network and the surrounding communities.”

Plans for the roundabout include widening lanes to improve congestion as part of the £38m A1237 upgrade.

Related YorkMix stories
  • Police object to licence for bar claiming to be restaurant
  • Video: ‘Ear-piercing’ fire alarms are driving people away from Shambles say traders
  • One lane of York bridge could close to traffic to create safe cycle route


Trending »


Primary Sidebar

Footer

Contact us

General
01904 375 029

Studio/competitions
01904 375 030

Email YorkMix »

5-6 King's Court
Shambles
York  YO1 7LD

Listen to us

You can listen to YorkMix Radio using your DAB+ radio, Alexa or Google smart speaker, or online using the links below.

Click here to listen to YorkMix Radio »

Download the app from Google Play store
Download the app from Apple App store
About us

YorkMix is a trading name of
York Sound Ltd

Registered in England
Company no: 12831940
VAT no: GB289462452

YorkMix Radio public file

  • About
  • Public file
  • Privacy policy
  • Corrections & complaints
  • Contact

Copyright © 2025 YorkMix