Villagers highlight bus stop dangers (From York Press)

Escrick villagers highlight bus stop dangers

9:02am Tuesday 5th February 2013 in News

RESIDENTS of a village between York and Selby have urged action on moving a bus stop from a busy main road.

The 415 service used to run through Escrick until a change in funding by North Yorkshire County Council saw subsidies removed from the route.

The stop was then moved to the A19, close to The Parsonage hotel, but resident Huw Edwards said the change caused danger to locals.

Mr Edwards said: “Now pensioners and schoolchildren have to run the gauntlet of the A19 to catch a bus into York with no crossing, exposing the most vulnerable in our society to death by car.

“Despite the parish council asking for a more sensible approach, Arriva have done nothing to remedy the situation, even though there are ample alternative sites in the village which would create a safe environment for our vulnerable residents.”

Vicky Cumberland, clerk of Escrick Parish Council, said: “It’s very dangerous where the bus stop outside the church is.

“We want the bus to come back through the village, as it did for years and years.

“We have a perfectly good bus shelter in the village and the road is marked out so cars don’t park there, but Arriva aren’t coming in.”

Last year, teenager Rosie Jean Missett was killed while crossing the A19 at Deighton, close to Escrick, after getting off a bus, and Mr Edwards said changes should be made to avoid further similar accidents.

Mr Edwards said: “Believe me, you need to be pretty sharp to get across the road in one piece.

“My children don’t attend Fulford yet, but when they do, I will live in fear of them being knocked over on the A19 if the current system persists.”

Nigel Featham, managing director for Arriva Yorkshire, said the decision to stop using the shelter in Main Street, Escrick, was made in 2011 after funding changes from the county council.

He said: “There were very few passengers boarding at this stop and we needed to make sure our services were running as efficiently as possible in order to provide a sustainable bus service.

“The more direct route to York and Selby has proved popular with customers, we will of course continue to monitor the situation, however we have no plans to change the route at present.”