THE safety of an A64 junction has again been called into question - a month after county councillors slammed the slow progress of safety improvements.

The Barton Hill junction near Malton, long known for being a site of serious accidents, has been the target for improvement for many years.

But councillors expressed anger last month when it was revealed the work to make the junction safer has been pushed back and will no longer take place this financial year.

Eddie Fisher, a commuter who travels into Malton along the A64 every day, said he has recently witnessed several near-misses at the junction, and that it is a "serious concern".

He said: "On numerous occasions I have witnessed vehicles creeping over into the line of traffic while making the crossing in order to travel west bound.

"I fear that one day a very serious accident may happen with very serious consequences.

"Surely measures must be taken to improve the safety on this stretch of road."

Simon Jones of Highways England told county councillors last month that the improvement scheme is currently "progressing positively", and that negotiations are currently taking place on land purchase elements.

However, councillors said that no progress was being made and the authority should consider a compulsory purchase order (CPO) if this continued to be the case.

Cllr Clare Wood, member of North Yorkshire County Council for Hovingham and Sheriff Hutton, has been asking for improvement to the section for over 15 years. She reiterated that safety works are essential, and that she understands that Ryedale MP Kevin Hollinrake has been reinforcing the importance of improvements to the road to the relevant Government departments.

"I strongly believe this needs to be done now," she said.

Mr Hollinrake recently said the future economic growth of the district depends on immediate action to improve the A64 more generally.

Work on the Scotchman Lane junction is scheduled to be carried out in February, and the upgrade work on the Hopgrove roundabout is scheduled for between 2020 and 2025.