A NORTH Yorkshire coroner has called for action to prevent further deaths at a dangerous junction on the A64.

Scarborough coroner Michael Oakley made his comments during the inquest of a 57-year-old holiday-maker who died following a car accident at the Barton Hill junction in Ryedale.

Glennis Hackney, of Bury, was a front passenger in her husband’s car when it was hit as it crossed the eastbound carriageway, from Barton Hill towards Castle Howard on August 30 last year.

The inquest heard from several witnesses who described Mr Hackney as “shooting” out from the central reservation, as he followed relatives in a vehicle in front, who had made an equally daring crossing.

Neil Wilson, from Norton, who was involved in the collision, described how he was driving from York back home on August 30, last year.

He said: “As we approached the hill we were in lane two because there was a car on the inside lane turning left towards Castle Howard. As we came over the top there was a white car and it shot out straight over the road.

“The next thing a black car appeared and that shot straight over. I hit the brakes, but we hit the car.”

Mr Oakley said: “What does considerably concern me as it has done in the past is these notorious crossroads. I have been dealing with these for 30 years as a coroner, and also use these crossroads regularly, and I am always terrified of using them. As we have heard in this incident, they are used by many people who are totally unfamiliar with this area, who come to this area for rest and for pleasure and who have probably never encountered these cross roads before.

“These crossroads are made even more difficult in the eastbound carriage way by the short distance there is from the top of the hill to the junction. There were proposals made around seven years ago to move the junction further up the road. I had made informal overtures to the Department of Transport in 2003. They are not going to be informal now.”

Mr Oakley recorded a verdict of accidental death for Mrs Hackney the coroner expressed his concerns about the “notorious” junction.