TWO pedestrians were killed when they were struck by a minibus on the A64 between York and Malton last night.

North Yorkshire Police said the woman and man, from the Malton area, were crossing the road after getting off a bus when the accident happened.

The collision happened just before midnight on Saturday night at Crambeck, near Malton, and involved a black Renault minibus.

A force spokeswoman said: "The minibus was travelling westbound towards York when it struck the two pedestrians who had just alighted from a Coastliner double-decker bus and were crossing the A64.

"Sadly, the pedestrians, a 52-year-old woman and 51-year-old-man from the Malton area, were pronounced dead at the scene."

The road was closed in both directions after the accident and did not re-open until just before 5am.

North Yorkshire Police representatives wrote on social media that the road policing group and firearms unit were called to the scene.

Collision investigators examined the scene of the accident, Highways England said.

The force spokeswoman appealed for anyone who witnessed the collision, or had any information, to contact North Yorkshire Police on 101, select option 2, and ask to Emma Drummond or Mark Mullins.

"In particular, we would like to speak to anyone who saw the Renault minibus at any time during the evening or the Coastliner bus in the Crambeck area.

"Alternatively, please email emma.drummond@northyorkshire.pnn.police.uk or mark.mullins@northyorkshire.pnn.police.uk.

"Please quote reference 12170082711 when passing on information."

Safety concerns have been raised in the past about the A64 near Crambeck.

In 2010, anxious villagers urged highway chiefs to improve road safety for bus passengers.

They called for a central refuge to enable people, many of them elderly, to cross what had been labelled as one of the worst accident blackspot in the north, and said a layby for the buses was also needed.

County councillor Clare Wood said innumerable members of the community, including many elderly and children, were too terrified to cross the road to make use of the excellent bus service which was provided, and a simple road refuge would make so much difference.

The Highways Agency said the option to provide a central pedestrian refuge facility to assist in crossing the A64 had 'not been taken forward due to the lack of carriageway width and potential impact on road safety.'