COUNCIL bosses have said they have no concerns about the Norton level crossing road priorities, despite being handed a petition of 600 signatures calling for them to be changed back to how they were.

The petition was handed to members of North Yorkshire County Council’s Ryedale Area Committee at their meeting on Monday. It had been prepared by Tyke2000 owner Tony Boorman.

He said: “The overwhelming opinion is that it’s been a change for the worse. More traffic is building up in Church Street than it ever did in Welham Road. This has encouraged drivers to use St Nicholas Street as a rat-run.”

He also said he had witnessed many near misses at the junction. “The limited view at the junction is not helped by the jumble of signage on the island,” he said. “We would like to suggest that either the junction is changed back or they look at the addition of a mini roundabout.”

James Malcolm of the county council said that figures have shown a slight reduction in accidents at the junction, but it is too early to draw any conclusions from them.

“The county council continues to monitor the changes,” he said. “National Rail has confirmed that the level crossing is clearing quicker since the change.”

He also said that air quality is improving in Castlegate in Malton, and that as well as complaints the council had received comments approving of the new layout.

“This is a difficult and complex junction with no easy solution. We’re looking at a number of options,” he said. “We had camera studies done and there’s nothing to concern us with the new layout.”

Cllr Keane Duncan also admitted that the junction is problematic, with both positive and negative comments received.

He asked that the county council bring a regular written report on their planned work on the junction before the area committee.

Norton and Malton’s various other traffic woes were also the subject of debate.

Ian Conlan, chairman of West Malton Residents Group, called for a lower speed limit and pedestrian crossing in Horsemarket Road, and the county council was angrily criticised by district councillor Paul Andrews, who described the long delay in implementing the HGV restrictions at Norton level crossing as “unbelievable”. “This has been going on since 2013,” he said.

Mr Malcolm said that they are still working with Leeds-based consultants WSP. “There are unforeseen circumstances,” he said. “We’re making sure the order is robust.”