Roundabout plea on 'danger road'

7:57pm Saturday 17th May 2008

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CAMPAIGNERS today called for a roundabout to be built at a "dangerous" junction in Selby district.

Several campaigners, including Selby MP John Grogan and North Yorkshire county councillor Brian Marshall, are appealing to the county council not to agree to the detrunking of the A63 until the Highways Agency has constructed a roundabout at the A19/A63 junction at Barlby.

If the detrunking went ahead, North Yorkshire County Council would take over management of the road from the Highways Agency.

But the county council currently has a holding objection to the detrunking.

Mr Grogan said: "We're urging North Yorkshire County Council to remain strong and not agree to the detrunking of the road until the Highways Agency has fulfilled the responsibility to make the road and the Barlby crossroads area safer by building a roundabout."

Dianne Dumbell, clerk to Barlby and Osgodby Parish Council, who is also pressing for a roundabout, said campaigners believed the movement restrictions the agency was proposing for the junction were "hopelessly inadequate for the fourth most dangerous junction in North Yorkshire".

Mrs Dumbell said: "We all believe that a roundabout is the best possible solution at this junction.

"A good example is on the Selby bypass - there's a roundabout at every junction and not one of those junctions is as dangerous as the A19/A63 Barlby crossroads."

She said if the detrunking was to go ahead without the roundabout issue being resolved, the burden for any further improvements at the junction would fall on North Yorkshire council taxpayers.

A spokeswoman for the Highways Agency said: "The Highways Agency is aware of local concerns about the planned improvements for the A19/A63 Barlby crossroads.

"The agency is currently investigating options for the site, including provision of a roundabout, and plans to discuss these options in detail with local authorities and residents' groups."

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