Stalled Scott Road crossing work to restart in March after Council 'take-over threat'

Engineers will be back on the site of the new Scott Road crossing at the beginning of March after an agreement was reached between the County Council, Bovis Homes and their contractors. Work had been held up since December due to problems in securing an earlier date when electricians would be able to provide power for the new crossing equipment.

Construction of the crossing is being arranged and funded by Bovis Homes who agreed to enter into a bond to stump up for the pedestrian safety measure as a condition of being granted planning permission for their nearby development at The Holmes.

They began with a flurry of activity in November when Scott Road was closed to traffic for many days whilst cables and equipment was installed. But, save for a few barriers and repairs to the pavement, little has happened on site since. 

Now, sources close to the authority have told Selby Online that county highways officials had grown so increasingly frustrated at the slow rate of progress on Scott Road that they had threatened to 'call-in' the original bond and finish constructing the crossing themselves.

Speaking to Selby Online, County Councillor Steve Shaw-Wright (Lab, NYCC Selby North), said, "I feel that NYCC should have stepped in a lot earlier. In fact i would prefer it if NYCC were to undertake all work of the nature directly so that the local community could, via their councillors, have more influence and get the job done on time with the least inconvenience to the public"

Responding by way of a written statement, North Yorkshire County Council said 'The Scott Road Puffin Crossing is being funded by Bovis Homes and constructed by their appointed contractor as a condition of planning permission to develop land at The Holmes.

'The works are being undertaken by agreement with the County Council under Section 278 of the Highways Act 1980 and are secured by a bond. If the developer or the contractor are found to be unduly delaying the completion of the works, the County Council can arrange for the works to be completed at the expense of the bond and this is being considered.

'There has been a delay in acquiring the necessary electric supply to power the signals which will enable works to be completed. However, we understand that the electricity company has given the contractor a start date of 9th March and that the contractor will be back on site the week before to undertake the preparatory work.'