LANDOWNERS and councillors met Selby MP John Grogan to discuss safety measures at a notorious A64 accident blackspot after a woman was killed crossing the road.

Ladislav Hosova, 43, was hit by a motorcycle and several cars and vans as she tried to cross the dual carriageway, near Bilbrough, in December.

Lanes were shut for more than five hours as police accident investigators combed the stretch of the road.

Representatives of Humphrey Smith, the owner of Sam Smith's brewery and significant landowner around Bilbrough Top, attended last night's meeting, with officials from North Yorkshire County Council and the Highways Agency.

Mr Grogan said he had called the meeting following the accident to discuss the potential for a bridge over the road, and also provision to link up farm tracks either side of the A64.

But Brian Percival, Selby District Council member for Appleton Roebuck, who was at the meeting, claimed the Highways Agency had not prepared properly.

He said: "It was a complete and utter waste of time, and there must have been 11 members of the community plus myself present, and we left the meeting fuming, and the best we are being offered is that they are going to start looking at the problem, and they may have some answers by June."

Mr Grogan said there had been some positives. He added: "It's about the sixth meeting that I have held, so it's not rapid progress, but on the other hand there are probably no easy answers either."

Coun Percival said there needed to be a bridge to link villages either side of the busy trunk road.

"Many people, including children and the elderly, use the Yorkshire Coastliners and need access to both sides of the road," he said.

"There are no safe crossing points to those bus stops.

"If you don't drive or have a car, then without the buses there is no access to anywhere - including the doctor, shops and workplaces."

He said the following measures were needed:

  • Lighting along the A64
  • Safe access to the bus stops
  • Construction of a bus stop at Bilbrough Lane End
  • Pedestrian footbridges
  • Easing of the entrances into the farms or substitute roads
  • Better signposting off the A64 to Colton/Bolton Percy.