Roads chiefs today said sorry for jams that have greeted drivers trying to get into York on one of its main gateways.

And the Highways Agency pledged that the snarl-up caused by massive improvement works at the Rawcliffe roundabout north of the city during yesterday's morning rush hour would not be repeated.

Drivers on the A19 and A1237 outer ring road faced lengthy delays because traffic light controls at the roundabout, which should have ended at 6.30am, instead carried on until about 8am.

Today traffic was said to be moving much more smoothly in the area.

An agency spokesman said yesterday's delays were caused by problems with resurfacing work, but it had discussed the situation with its contractor and did not anticipate any further problems.

"We apologise to motorists who were caught up in it," he said.

Meanwhile, City of York Council has asked the agency to take any steps necessary to avoid a repeat of the disruption.

The council and agency are partners in the £1.5 million scheme to develop a new roundabout at the site.

Coun Dave Merrett, the council's executive member for planning and transport, said: "I am very concerned at the delays which were caused to people using the outer ring road and A19 north and have asked the Highways Agency, which is supervising the work, to take whatever steps are appropriate to prevent a re-occurrence.

"This is a major project, which when completed will tackle long-standing congestion problems at this roundabout. Whilst some queuing disruption was inevitable in a scheme of this size, I am very concerned about what happened in the rush hour."

A temporary roundabout currently being constructed is due to come into operation on Monday morning and will enable work on the new, permanent roundabout to continue with as little disruption to traffic as possible.

The driver of an articulated lorry escaped with minor injuries when his vehicle overturned on the A64 at Golden Hill early today. A spokeswoman for Tees East and North Yorkshire Ambulance Service said: "The patient had minor injuries and did not need to go to hospital."

Updated: 11:36 Friday, June 22, 2001