Calls for bypass at Rillington on the A64
Campaign to improve safety and queues on main route
New calls for a bypass at one of North Yorkshire’s worst bottleneck villages has been launched – 80 years after it was put onto a drawing board.
Repeated pleas have been made to Government transport ministers and MPs, for a bypass to Rillington on the notorious A64 road between Scarborough and York, which has one of the worst fatal accident records in the North of England. Eleven people have died in crashes since last Christmas.
For decades, retired senior teacher Colin Wicks, has been pressing MPs, transport ministers and Highways England, which is responsible for the national trunk road system, to give the go-ahead to the scheme which has been on the drawing board since before the outbreak of the Second World War.
Heisurgingforthescheme to be given priority after the death toll on the busy York to Scarborough road claimed its 11th victim in less than a year, last week when 70-year-old Jackie Lamb from Settrington died in a three-vehicle crash on the edge of the traffic choked village.
“We have had promise after promise from MPs and successive transport ministers who have each said that a bypass for Rillington was a priority, but still no action,” said Mr Wicks, who was a department head at Norton College before he retired.
A resident of Rillington for more than half a century, Mr Wicks said: “The traffic problem is getting worse each year. Three times we have been given starting dates, but each time they have been shelved and we have seen more accidents and traffic queues. This isn’t a holiday season problem, it is one which exists year-round, with heavy traffic heading to and from the coast as early as 5 am.”
The plan for a bypass was first drawn up prior to the outbreak of the Second World War and a route south of the village was pegged out but because of the war, it was abandoned. More recently a route north of the village in the vicinity of Scampston, was earmarked but encountered environmental problems.
At the recent launch of the big campaign to invest £250 million in the A64, it was revealed that Rillington is unlikely to get a bypass for several years.
Kevin Hollinrake, MP for Thirsk and Malton, has told Mr Wicks: “I fully support the need for a bypass at Rillington. I will continue to press for extra resources and a greater allocation for North Yorkshire which should allow greater spending on the A64.”
Mr Hollinrake is one of the leaders in the campaign for an early start on the £250 million planned investment on the A64 between The Hopgrove roundabout and Jinnah Restaurant.
• Next week The Scarborough News will be telling you how you can get involved in our ‘Back the Dualling’ campaign.