A CORONER has been urged to call highway bosses and police to account over the tragic death of a pedestrian on the A64 near York.

Ladislav Hosova, 43, from Tadcaster, died last autumn after getting off a bus and crossing the busy dual carriageway to get to work at the Bilbrough Top service area. She was struck by a motorcycle and several cars and vans.

Local councillor Brian Percival claimed earlier this year that her death was "tragic and unnecessary", and that Highways Agency officers should examine their consciences for failing to prevent it.

He said a bus layby had originally been provided close to a flyover bridge, which could have been used by pedestrians to cross the dual carriageway.

But this had then been removed because it was thought a bus stop would be provided at the service area, with buses using the flyover to reach it.

The agency spokeswoman said then that because of safety concerns, the bus layby had not been brought into use, although another one remained available further along the dual carriageway.

She said negotiations had been continuing with the local bus company before and since the completion of the flyover scheme about providing a bus stop at the service area.

The safety of all road users and pedestrians was of paramount importance to the agency, and it would be carrying out a study to look at pedestrian safety issues on the A64 in the coming year.

Now an inquest is to be held later this month, and Coun Percival, the deputy leader of Selby District Council, has written to the coroner, Geoff Fell, urging him to pose a series of searching questions to the police and agency.

He said he had been specifically requested by the local community to research the safety of pedestrians on the A64, "especially those compelled by social necessity to use the only public bus service with direct links to and from York and Tadcaster."

He said he had obtained documents under the Freedom of Information Act, revealing that a safety audit previously carried out by the agency had fully identified the risk for pedestrians.

It had raised concerns that people would get off buses on the eastbound carriageway and then cross the road, climbing over the steel safety barrier. "The report identified that even with additional fencing, attempts would still be made to cross the road."

He said the coroner needed "clear, unambiguous and complete answers" to a series of questions to the agency and police, including whether they recognised that the current siting of the bus stop created a real safety hazard, and that Ladislav Hosova might not have died if the original layby had remained open.