The closure of the central reservation gap on the A64 at Colton Lane End is designed to make the road safer. And it will, when motorists stop treating the dual carriageway as some sort of arcade game.

Our survey and pictures tonight will leave all sensible road-users shaking their heads in despair. It highlights a new and dangerous practice on the A64: making an illegal U-turn through the opening at Bilbrough Top.

Some mindless motorists seem to consider any safety measure installed on the road as a test for them to overcome. The closure of Colton Lane End gap set them a new challenge, which they have attempted to conquer by this extremely hazardous manoeuvre.

Perhaps they feel smug. By performing this U-turn they do not have to drive on to Copmanthorpe where a flyover allows safe access across the busy road. That saves them a matter of minutes on their journey time.

But this is not a game. These motorists who dodge in between fast-moving traffic in such a manner are putting themselves and others at risk. One miscalculation could prove disastrous. And unlike a computer game, motorists do not get another life.

Many people joined the Evening Press campaign to close the gaps. The police and most road users realised that closure was necessary to prevent more horrendous accidents on this stretch of road.

This week we should have been celebrating the closure of the Colton Lane End gap.

But the problem has clearly been pushed further along the road to the Bilbrough Top gap. The sooner it is closed, the better.

Ultimately, it has to be realised that however many safety improvements are made, we cannot legislate against the stupidity of some drivers.

And there are a lot of stupid drivers about. Our survey, undertaken outside of rush hour, spotted half a dozen drivers performing the U-turn in 90 minutes. Another motorist drove against the traffic on the cycle path, and yet more are said to turn around at the entrance to McDonalds.

Meanwhile, several television shows make the most of closed circuit television footage showing extraordinary acts of motorway madness.

The police must crack down on drivers making illegal manoeuvres on the A64.

Regular patrols are needed in the area. Another deterrent would be a CCTV camera, catching the number plates of offenders on film. The majority who drive carefully should not be allowed to be put at risk by a moronic minority who treat motoring as a game.

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.