It is heartening to see that action is moving apace to finally eradicate the lethal junction which for years has blighted the village of Copmanthorpe outside York.

It is also encouraging that although they stand to lose part of their gardens in the process, many residents are offering full support to Highways Agency plans to close the gap which has claimed so many lives on the A64.

A series of compulsory purchase orders has been issued so that a £2.1 million scheme to construct a new underpass can go ahead. The underpass will take village traffic safely under the A64 and means that the traffic-light controlled junction, the scene of many fatal and other serious accidents over the years, can finally be shut down.

The Highways Agency is pressing ahead with legal moves to acquire the necessary land, even though the scheme is still at the consultation stage. No time is being wasted to get the safety measures in place.

Many Copmanthorpe villagers stand to lose the grass verge fronting their homes. A handful of residents may lose strips off the end of their gardens.

But it is a tribute to the people of this close-knit community that they are willing to give up this land without a fight so they do not hinder the progress of the scheme.

Many of those homeowners have either been touched by tragedy at the notorious junction or they know someone else who has. They have had to live with the daily dangers of this traffic blackspot. The stress of crossing the high-speed and busy A64 is heightened by their knowledge of the death and suffering there.

It is an indication of their strength of feeling that the residents committee will not raise any objections to the compulsory purchase. And the Highways Agency must be applauded for its urgency in getting the new underpass in place.

The agency modified its original proposals in October in an attempt to head off any objections by reducing the amount of garden land needed for the scheme. This way the chances of provoking a lengthy public inquiry are being kept to a minimum.

see NEWS 'Highways move paves way to plug gap at lethal crossing'

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