HIGHWAYS chiefs say they will have to close a lane of the A64 near York to clear up this appalling pile of rubbish dumped on the verge.

Scores of bags of refuse were fly-tipped more than a month ago at a lay-by on the westbound carriageway between the Hopgrove roundabout and Grimston Bar.

Driver Mark Webster contacted The Press about the rubbish, which he spotted from his cab.

He claimed he first raised the problem with City of York Council on January 9, to ask it to clear up the mess but was told by a member of staff that it was the responsibility of the Highways Agency.

However, when he rang the agency, he was told the council was responsible, and it still hadn’t been cleared up more than a month later.

“There must be a ton of rubbish there, which must have been dumped from a lorry,” he said.

The agency and council confirmed to The Press that the clear-up was down to the local authority.

A council spokesman said that, with the agency’s help, it was working to schedule a clean-up.

“Due to safety issues, these must be planned in advance as a night-time lane closure is required while working on the dual carriageway,” he said. “While it’s not ideal to see litter on the sides of our dual carriageways, with limited resources our priority has to focus on areas of most public use.”

News of the fly-tipping comes just weeks after another motorist, Sam Beattie, blasted the “appalling impression” given to tourists by litter along the A64, particularly on a stretch near Tadcaster.

Selby District Council said it too could not clear the piles of rubbish without a road closure.