THE main route into Bilbrough from the A64 has reopened, following the completion of the first phase of roadworks on the dual carriageway.

Rat-running motorists trying to dodge A64 traffic jams caused by the contraflow at Top Lane, Copmanthorpe, brought chaos to the village near York in the autumn.

Some villagers complained they could hardly get out of their drives and said residents' lives were being put at risk by heavy through traffic.

The Highways Agency then blocked access to Redhill Field Lane from the eastbound carriageway, sending motorists wanting to get to Bilbrough on a diversionary route.

But the closure brought protests from Hugh Mansford, landlord of the Three Hares pub in Bilbrough.

He told the Evening Press today that the closure had caused him a "catastrophic" loss of business.

The temporary restrictions on access to the village were removed last night, just before two lanes of the dual carriageway were reopened in each direction at Copmanthorpe.

"The situation will be reviewed in the New Year, when the agency will consult with North Yorkshire County Council, North Yorkshire Police and Bilbrough Parish Council to seek views on whether the restrictions should be re-imposed at the start of phase two at Top Lane in early January," said an agency spokeswoman.

Parish council chairman Sam Esler said residents at a meeting in the village earlier this week had been strongly in favour of reopening.

He said he did not anticipate any problems with rat-running motorists over the next two and a half weeks, with A64 traffic expected to flow freely following the reopening of both carriageways.

He said the situation would be carefully monitored when phase two of the works begins to see if jams - and consequent rat-running begins again.

Mr Mansford appealed for there to be no more total closures of the lane, saying that if problems arose again during phase two of roadworks, restrictions could be imposed to prevent traffic cutting through but still allowing access into the village.

He said an alternative would be for police simply to block the lane temporarily on occasions when traffic was cutting through badly.

Updated: 08:22 Wednesday, December 19, 2001