THE planned redevelopment of a car park has been delayed in an effort to help ease the current severe congestion in York.

The city council is hoping that by delaying the work at the Union Terrace car park it will ease the problems in the run-up to Christmas.

Council officials have reviewed the timing of a number of important projects after failing to convince the Highways Agency of the need to complete the ongoing A64 Copmanthorpe safety project without closing any of the dual carriageway's four lanes.

The scheme currently has a lane closure in each direction on the A64 at Copmanthorpe - resulting in severe knock-on traffic congestion across York.

Letters are now going to more than 500 residents and others in the Clarence Street area to inform them of the delay in starting the Union Terrace scheme.

The project is part of a regeneration package for the area featuring the relocation of the St John's coach park to part of redeveloped and modernised Union Terrace car park.

York St John College is building a multi-million pound Learning Centre on the old St John's coach and lorry park.

The city's director of environmental and development services, Roy Templeman, said: "We are talking to the Highways Agency with the aim of getting them to modify their working arrangements to tackle the huge congestion problems they have created in the city.

"In the meantime, we have pledged to delay anything but essential emergency repairs to ensure that our own projects do not add to the city's traffic problems.