WORK to tidy up scruffy-looking roundabouts on York's northern ring road has finally been carried out, says a top city councillor.

Coun Irene Waudby, City of York Council's executive member for commercial services, said grass has been cut and the areas tidied on a series of roundabouts on the A1237.

The new Liberal Democrat council has been critical of the state of the junctions on the ring road and council workers have now taken action.

The roundabouts have been tidied ahead of their being passed over to City of York Council by the Highways Agency.

Coun Waudby said: "These roundabouts have been a continual problem while they have been the responsibility of the Highways Agency as they have been reluctant to cut them.

"Although they might have become a haven for wildlife, residents have not been happy with the appearance of them. It has been a real struggle to get even the most basic grass cutting done."

City of York Council will take over responsibility for various trunk roads on July 1 and this will include maintaining the roundabouts on the A1237.

Now council chiefs have cleaned the "offending areas", plans are already under way to make sure they stay that way.

Coun Waudby said: "We will be receiving a special grant when we take over these trunk roads and I have made sure that some of it is earmarked for roundabout improvement and maintenance."

Coun Ann Reid, the council's executive member for planning and transport, said she was asking officers to draw up plans to ensure each roundabout was kept in a satisfactory condition.

Coun Reid said: "We will continue to regularly cut the grass on them, but I am asking officers to draw up a programme of planting appropriate to each location. Hopefully it won't be long before residents see a real improvement."

Updated: 08:58 Friday, June 13, 2003