A NEW road designed to cut traffic through Northallerton town centre is unlikely to be fully open until next year - despite a giant sign proclaiming it would be opening in ‘Spring 2019’.

Work on the new North Northallerton Strategic Link Road started in April 2017 and a large sign near to the new Taylor Wimpey Thurstan Park development - which encompass the road project - states that the road is opening in Spring 2019.

A major part of the new road, which will link the A684 and the A167 to the north of Northallerton, is a new bridge to carry traffic over the railway line but there is currently no sign of it.

The Northern Echo:

The first phase of the route linking the A684 Stokesley Road with Northallerton Road into Brompton did open last week, but construction work on the full route has not finished - or even started where the bridge is concerned.

Developer Taylor Wimpey has now apologised for any ‘confusion’ caused by the spring opening sign.

The spokesman said: “We’re pleased to confirm that the first section of the link road through Thurstan Park was opened to the public on March 15.

“The legal agreement required to deliver the next section of the road, including the bridge, is currently being finalised between the relevant parties and we will then progress towards construction.

“We are also working on updated signage to keep the local community informed of the works - we apologise for any confusion the current signage has caused.”

The Northern Echo:

A spokeswoman for Hambleton District Council said that while there is no change to the road plan, there has been some ‘slippage’ in its schedule. She said: “There is no change to the plan for the link road – however there has been some slippage to the construction programme which is outside the District Council’s control.

“We now expect the bridge to be opened in the early part of next year.”

North Yorkshire County Council’s Network Strategy Manager, Allan McVeigh, said: “The construction of the north Northallerton link road is being led by the housing developers building in that area.

“The first section opened last week, linking the A684 Stokesley Road with Northallerton Road into Brompton.

“This allowed the diversion from Northallerton to Brompton to be lifted and drivers can now travel to and from Brompton via the link road.”