A LONG awaited £6.5m road junction which has caused traffic chaos for a North Yorkshire community has opened to traffic.

Work on the new junction on the A168 at Thirsk and Sowerby was due to end last month but was delayed because they had to wait for a new electrical meter to be installed for Highways England.

Hambleton District Council revealed the road was opened to traffic on Monday night. The controversial junction, which upgrades the previous slip road, was stipulated as part of planning permission for the huge 1,000 home housing site at Sowerby Gateway. There were delays on site after issues with developers who insisted they could not provide 40 per cent affordable homes on the site and pay for the required infrastructure including the junction.

Eventually the number of affordable homes on the main second phase of the development were reduced to zero.

Leader of Hambleton District Council, and local councillor Mark Robson said: "We have waited a long time for this junction. It is going to make a massive difference to people living on the new Sowerby Gateway estate as well as to Sowerby and Thirsk in general.

"We have suffered months of disruption while this work has been underway with all traffic having to come through the town centre. Now we have a new way into and out of Sowerby which will open up this side of the town where we have new houses, shops, hotel and a sports village."

Paul Arnold, Technical Director, of Taylor Wimpey added: "At Taylor Wimpey we pride ourselves on not just delivering high quality homes but creating and enhancing both new and existing communities. We’re proud to have played a part in the delivery of this key new infrastructure which will provide benefits to the village of Sowerby and the wider Thirsk area for many years."

Erica Bell, Marketing Director at Linden Homes, said: “This vastly improved access to the A168 will bring significant benefits to Sowerby and Thirsk together with the surrounding areas. It has been funded by our exciting nearby residential development at Mowbray View, Thirsk by Linden Homes."

The junction was due to be opened last month but was delayed due to the late fitting of an electrical meter by Highways England’s energy supplier, which allows them to be charged for energy used by lights.