THE traffic infrastructure in Helmsley is failing to keep up with the town’s growth, according to a local councillor.

Town councillor Chris Parkin made the comments following a council meeting in which a planning application for 46 new homes off Riccal Drive in the east of the town was discussed.

The town council supported the application - with some reservations - but Mr Parkin said that, more generally, the award-winning market town is in need of a joined-up traffic review.

“We seem to be ignored by the authorities that control traffic and traffic management,” he said.

“The infrastructure that’s currently in place - with the increased level of housing going up - is no longer fit for purpose.”

He said that a review had been promised in 2014 but not yet delivered.

Cllr Parkin particularly drew attention to people parking on the pavement in the Market Place and haphazard parking along the A170, and raised concern about the excessive speeds of motorists coming into town along the A170 from the east.

“That road is particularly dangerous in my opinion,” he said.

Helmsley has seen a number of housing developments in the past few years. At its meeting last Monday, Helmsley Town Council suggested levies received from these go towards improvements to the school, doctors’ surgery and roads.

In its response to the district council about the 46-home planning application, the town council called for a mini-roundabout to be considered for the northern end of Riccal Drive, both to allow safe access to the houses for residents but also to slow the traffic.

The plan for 46 new houses and bridge for the 1.8ha site at Riccal Drive, which was discussed by the planning committee at a meeting last night, received a significant number of public responses, with concerns, including flooding and wildlife impacts.