MOTORISTS and bus passengers face weeks of disruption when roadworks are carried out in a major York street.

Repairs will begin in Tower Street on Monday, lasting for four weeks.

There will be closures on various stretches of the road, as well as St George's Field car park.

A series of diversions will be in place for all traffic, including several bus services, and the ftr vehicles will be taken out of use while the diversions are in force.

The work is being done by City of York Council, and will be carried out overnight, between 7pm and 6am.

A council spokesperson said the repairs would be done in three phases:

* Phase One will be from February 5 to February 9, and will involve resurfacing the Fulford-bound carriageway, between the War Memorial on the roundabout, and Paragon Street. It will include the closure of the junction with Piccadilly.

* Phase Two will be from February 19 to February 23, on the city-bound carriageway between Fishergate and Skeldergate Bridge, including St George's Field car park.

* Phase Three will last from February 26 March 2, and will see resurfacing work carried out on the short stretch of road between Skeldergate Bridge and the War Memorial.

There will be no work done during the school's half term holiday, from February 12 to February 16.

A council spokesman said: "During the closure period, signed diversion routes will operate for both local and through traffic.

"Bus services will also be diverted and information will be displayed at bus stops to keep travellers informed."

Peter Edwards, commercial director of First York, said its No 4 service would be diverted via Coppergate, Piccadilly, Walmgate and Barbican Road. He said conventional buses would be used instead of ftrs.

He said: "We are pleased that the closure is overnight because it does make it a lot easier.

"We will make sure that for whatever phase is taking place, we will have the appropriate notice up for diversions."

Watch manager Jane Proud at York Fire Station in Clifford Street, said the work would not severely affect firefighters.

She thought they would still have access through the closed road, and, if not, they would use diversions.

The work will see the worn- out road surface removed. Deep repairs in some areas will be necessary, and then the new road surface will be laid.

How repairs projects will overlap

THE Tower Street project will overlap with the major works being carried out at Holgate Bridge, first reported in The Press last week.

Network Rail is spending £1 million to strengthen and restore the bridge.

Traffic restrictions will include:

* A full-time half-road closure in Holgate Road, from February 8 to March 21* An overnight half-road closure from March 26 to 30 (10pm to 6am)* An overnight full-road closure, from 10pm to 6am, on March 31, April 7, April 9-21, May 4-12, and May 14-19.

Other roadworks currently ongoing in our area include High Petergate and Bootham Bar in York, and the Grimston Bar junction of the outer ring road.

Roundabout work chaos'

THERE was chaos at Grimston Bar, York, after workmen closed all but one lane of the roundabout and the A1079, a local action group claimed.

The Highway Agency began work at the busy A64/A1079 interchange in December to install a new traffic light system.

The system uses electronic sensors to adjust signal timings in response to changing traffic flows. The aim of the new £700,000 system is to smooth traffic flows and ease peak time congestion.

But on Saturday, queues stretched back to Common Lane, with cars using Dunnington as a "rat run" to avoid the traffic, according to Action Access A1079.

The group has claimed the new lights system will make traffic on the busy route worse.

Grahame Hicks, chairman of Action Access A1079, said: "This work was the shambles we predicted. It will only get worse once the traffic lights become a permanent fixture.

"We take no pleasure in being right over this, and call on York City Council to put their plans for the lights on hold and talk to their Dunnington constituents. Their representatives are members of our group."