TWO main routes into a market town will be hit for up to 12 weeks when work starts on a major new development.

Roundabouts are to be built on the main routes into Northallerton from Darlington and from Stokesley as part of the new North Northallerton development.

Members of the Hambleton Areas Committee of North Yorkshire County Council were told the work is due to start in the near future and will take three months. Jayne Charlton from Area Highways told councillors the aim was to reduce the impact on other communities by carrying the work out at the same time.

Ms Charlton said: "This will have a significant impact, there isn’t a start date as yet, but it is imminent.

"The first stage is that the two roundabouts will be built at the same time to minimise the impact or rat running vehicles through Brompton and on Quaker Lane.”

She said traffic would be controlled with traffic lights and trials are currently being carried out in Stokesley Road for the work. Ms Charlton said they are also in discussion with developers of the prison site in the centre of the town on highway and traffic issues.