Plans to tackle farm vehicle road danger (From Gazette & Herald)

Plans to tackle farm vehicle road danger

THE dangers posed by farm vehicles entering and leaving the A64 near York could finally be tackled.

A new farm accommodation road could be created, allowing farmers to access the dual carriageway at the Bilbrough Top flyover instead of using farm entrances straight onto the A64 between York and Tadcaster.

Last autumn it was reported how farmers feared a car could plough into vehicles trying to turn into or out of their narrow farm entrances.

They said the closure of a series of gaps in the central reservation was exacerbating the dangers.

Farmer Edward Brown said that because there was no slip road before his entrance, huge articulated vehicles had to slow in the outside lane and then cross the path of traffic in the inside lane to make the tight turn. "It could prove fatal," he warned.

Now the issue has been raised at a series of meetings in Tadcaster, chaired by Selby MP John Grogan and attended by the Highways Agency, farmers, and local business and council representatives.

And the MP says a possible solution was suggested involving improvements to local farm tracks and roads to link all the farms to the new flyover at Bilbrough Top.

Mr Grogan said that if the closure of the gaps is made permanent next spring, another meeting would be held between local landowners, farmers and the agency to examine the proposal.

He said: "The Highways Agency made it clear that they cannot by law improve the access of individual properties to the A64 because of gap closures.

"They could possibly justify improvements to accommodation roads and tracks on the grounds of safety by keeping farm vehicles off the A64.

"Such a solution would depend on the co-operation of local farmers and landowners; particularly the dominant landowner, who I understand is associated with Sam Smith's brewery."

Local Selby district councillor, Brian Percival, said: "I truly believe that a farm accommodation road separate to the trunk road is the most deliverable solution."

He said he would work with the MP in getting the accommodation road built at the first opportunity, diminishing safety risks to the A64's 50,000 daily users.

The agency confirmed it would investigate the idea, along with another possible solution involving the construction of a new bridge over the A64 in the Streethouses area.

Updated: 15:43 Wednesday, January 18, 2006