WORRIED residents of Old Malton are calling for action to curb speeding motorists.

Their plea has been taken on board by Malton Town Council after local councillor Martin Dales warned that crossing the busy Town Street which leads from the A64 to Malton has becomes increasingly hazardous and unsafe, particularly for the elderly and children.

The issue is now being taken up with the police and the Safer Ryedale Partnership group after unanimous support from the town authority for steps to be taken to curb offending drivers.

Coun Dales, who met police to discuss the fears of residents, said frequent speed checks needed to be carried out by the police and for an investigation to be made into what else could be done to stop the speedsters.

While the Brambling Fields improvement scheme on the A64 had been completed, lorry drivers did not seem to be using it and speed humps were not a popular option.

“We should be looking at other technology,” said Coun Dales.

The mayor, Coun Joan Lawrence said she experienced motorists overtaking her while she was turning into Old Malton Priory.

Coun Mike Knaggs believed Brambling Fields had “not helped a bit” in ridding Malton and Norton town centres of traffic queues, especially at Butcher Corner.

He asked that Richard Marr, the county highways head for Ryedale, should be asked to attend a future meeting of the council to seek his views.

Coun Jason Fitzgerald-Smith said one solution could be to install digital speed indicator signs.

Coun David Lloyd-Williams backed his suggestion. He said: “Flashing red lights do stop speeding.”

Another suggested solution might be to install traffic islands in the road.