Rail services hit by North Yorkshire's great floods may not be back to normal until after the summer season starts for East Coast resorts, it emerged today.

An emergency timetable is expected to run on the York to Scarborough line for at least the next eight weeks.

Signalling cables remain in need of extensive repairs along the line, and staff using hand signals are still having to guide trains in and out of Malton station, where floodwaters rose so high that the platform was submerged during flooding three weeks ago.

The continued disruption is likely to bring additional chaos to the A64, where daytrippers and other holidaymakers regularly bring traffic to a standstill on spring and summer weekends.

Yesterday traffic was already heavy on the road, according to an AA spokesman.

At present, trains heading for York are going through Malton station, then being guided back to the platform.Commuters who use Malton station say they are being inconvenienced by delays.

David Flint, who lives and works in Malton, said: "I think the service is terrible. When I've been travelling, the train has only been on time once between here and York."

Herve Dijiuston, who lives in Acomb and works in Malton, said: ""I'm a bit surprised and disappointed that it's not back to normal yet."

A Railtrack spokeswoman said: "We are hoping to get the normal timetable back for the spring holiday."

A spokesman for rail company Northern Spirit said it was operating broadly an hourly service, with buses replacing the early morning commuter train between Scarborough and York.

"There are still problems along the route, which Railtrack are in the process of rectifying.

Kevin Barrand, of Scarborough Borough Council's tourism department, said they were grateful that trains were able to reduce some of the strain on roads leading to the resort.

"We are glad that there is still a rail service running. Things could have been a lot worse. The vast majority of our visitor traffic does come by road."

Flood questions must be asked

By Hilary Sanders

People have a right to ask questions about what caused this century's worst flood in Ryedale, according to MP John Greenway.

"I get the impression that probably people are preoccupied at the moment with just getting on with life, but beneath the surface there is a fair degree of pent-up anger that this situation could have been avoided," he said.

"We shouldn't get carried away by the fact there had been a lot of rain, but we should look to see if the floods could have been avoided.

"People and those who are uninsured should be asking 'Is someone responsible?' They have the right to ask for an inquiry. We need a cool-headed assessment."

He added: "There is no doubt that people in authority should start asking questions."

During the flood, said Mr Greenway, Ryedale was on the front pages. Now the water has gone down media attention had turned elsewhere.

"But it's now in Ryedale that the problems start. There are lost jobs and businesses and people here need moral support and advice as much as practical help. They need to know we care."

There will be a public meeting at St Peter's Church House, Norton, tomorrow at 7pm to talk about the flood and implications for the future.

"I shan't be able to go to that, because I'm in the House, but I shall have someone there to report back to me," said Mr Greenway.

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