The multimillion-pound scheme to scrap the notorious Copmanthorpe traffic controls took a major step forward today.

A £4.1 million contract for the safety project has been awarded to a North Yorkshire firm, clearing the way for work to begin next month.

The Highways Agency has promised disruption will be kept to a minimum during the 14-month contract.

The announcement comes on the sixth anniversary of the death of teenager Stuart Elliott, of Copmanthorpe, who was killed in an accident as he was trying to cross a gap in the central reservation on the dual carriageway.

A police van, driven on an emergency call by PC Michelle Cotter, of North Yorkshire Police, went westbound through a red light at the Top Lane traffic lights and struck the side of his vehicle.

Ms Cotter was cleared of causing death by dangerous driving, but found guilty of driving without due care and attention and fined £500 in 1996.

The accident was one of many that has prompted action on this dangerous section of road.

Now the £4.1m contract to build a new link road and underpass beneath the A64 to provide access between Copmanthorpe and York has been awarded to Thirsk contractor RMC Surfacing Ltd.

The Highways Agency hopes the works will correct a junction where there were 36 accidents between 1992 and 1996, and further deaths and injuries since.

Highways Agency project manager David Phillips said: "Top Lane is a busy junction on a key tourist route to York and the East Coast.

"The Highways Agency will be working very closely with the contractor to ensure that disruption and delay is kept to a minimum. This is particularly important during the busy summer holiday period when two lanes of traffic in each direction will be maintained.

"The scheme is part of the Highways Agency's commitment to improve safety on the network."

The work entails removing the existing Top Lane, Copmanthor-pe, junction on the A64 and building a new link road and underpass from Top Lane to the A1036 slip road into York. Two new traffic signals-controlled junctions will be needed on the A1036 and more than half a mile of A64 carriageway diverted. A new footbridge on the A1036 will take pedestrians over the railway line.

The scheme includes major environmental work, including landscaping, planting of tress and shrubs, a fence to screen houses from the A64 traffic and a new wildlife area with a pond.

A public exhibition to show the detailed proposals, the planned construction sequence and its implications will be held in the village later this summer.

Updated: 15:17 Tuesday, June 26, 2001