PLANS for an improved junction on the A64 at Barton Hill have been unveiled.

The plans were shown to councillors at a meeting of the county council’s Ryedale area committee, held at Ganton Village Hall last week.

Russell Mclean, of Highways England, project manager for the work, said that the junction currently suffers from many issues, including poor visibility on the approach and overhang of longer agricultural vehicles into the carriageway.

The new changes, funded through the Highways England’ minor safety improvement fund, will see it changed into a “staggered priority junction”, effectively moving the Castle Howard turn-off further east away from the hill, with a widened central reservation and a relocated bus stop.

Mr Mclean said that the project will begin in November, with work taking place day and night. He added: “We’ll be looking to keep the Castle Howard route open as long as we possibly can.”

The junction is the site of many accidents over the last few decades and has been the subject of several road safety campaigns, including by the Ryedale coroner.

Simon Jones, of Highways England, added: “It’s been a long slog and we all understand that.”

The plans were welcomed by councillors. Cllr Caroline Goodrick, chairman of the committee, said: “I am very keen that this goes ahead.

“It’s so important and I’m very grateful that finally we can deliver this after such an extended period of time.”

Cllr Janet Sanderson added: “We are all absolutely delighted that this is going to happen.”

Also discussed at the meeting were the new bollards recently added to the A64’s Scotchman Lane junction, which leads to Flaxton.

The alterations, completed earlier this year, prompted a large number of complaints.

Cllr Goodrick said: “Highways England has altered a junction from a safety point of view and we seem to have made things worse.”

Mr Jones said that a CCTV road safety audit of the new junction had since been completed. “The recommendations are that we need to remove some of the bollards to improve visibility at the junction.

“This will be done before December.”