COUNTY councillors have said that they will push for improvements to made to the A64 following the announcement that up to £250m worth of investment has been set aside for the road.

North Yorkshire County Council said that the work will be essential for the economy of local communities.

County Councillor Gareth Dadd, North Yorkshire’s executive member for highways, said: “We have a real opportunity to pursue improvements for the A64 between Scarborough and York. After some initial confusion about what was announced, it seems we have £100m to £250m available for the upgrade of the Hopgrove roundabout which will include a study of what dualling of the carriageway is necessary and possible, to ensure any improvement at Hopgrove is effective.

“The improvement of the A64 is essential to the economic wellbeing of our communities. The money announced is not guaranteed, so we must be positive and press for that commitment. A commitment for £250m to be spent on improving the Hopgrove roundabout and to provide as much dualling as possible from Hopgrove towards Whitwell is what is required.

“These improvements will have a beneficial effect, and the potential level of expenditure is promising, but we will need to use all our influence, the support of other local authorities, businesses and communities to press for as much improvement as possible along the whole stretch of the A64 – and look for other sources of money for improvements.”

Details of road safety and highways improvements for the A64 are being outlined today by Mandy Foster, asset manager for the Highways Agency, at the county council’s Ryedale Area Committee meeting in Malton.

She states in her report that work will include creating a pedestrian crossing in Ganton, resurfacing work in Staxton, Heslerton and from Pickering interchange to Brambling Fields, new signs at Golden Hill, Malton, Stockton-on-the-Forest and High Hutton and improvements at Barton Hill crossroads.