THE Prime Minister has vowed to “look carefully” at the case for improvements to an accident-plagued North Yorkshire road.

There were 35 crashes on the A64 through Ryedale in 2012 – four more than the previous year and the highest level since 2009. One person was killed.

The issue was raised in the Commons by Anne McIntosh, Conservative MP for Thirsk and Malton, who warned of “congestion and poor safety on that road”.

Miss McIntosh asked David Cameron, who holidayed in North Yorkshire last year: “Will he join me to ensure that on his future visits he can travel much faster and in much greater safety on the A64?”

In reply, Mr Cameron said the MP was “absolutely right to raise this issue.”

He added: “The quality and capacity of the road system in Yorkshire has been, and is, a major issue.

“I know the Chancellor was listening carefully to what she had to say and I am sure we can look carefully at this for the future roads programme.”

Only a few months ago, the Highways Agency played down any prospects of major improvement schemes to the A64 in the near future. However, the agency has been reviewing speed limits through villages on the road, by carrying out surveys.

Campaigners have called for better safety measures for many years. There were 21 deaths and 149 serious crashes between 2002 and 2012.