KEANE Duncan is right to urge caution regarding the possible outcomes of the experimental HGV restriction over Norton level crossing.

If Ryedale District Council’s (RDC) own reports are correct, the restriction will lead to an increase in the number of cars travelling through Malton town centre.

RDC also expects the number of HGVs travelling along Rainbow and Pasture Lanes to increase, meaning more and more big wagons will divert past Malton’s junior and infant schools.

A council report, authored by Paul Hunt in February 2016, employs data provided by Jacobs traffic consultants. Jacobs predict an increase of 2.3 cars for every HGV vehicle removed by the Norton level crossing HGV restriction.

Also, the data used by RDC and North Yorkshire County Council to assess the viability and outcomes of the Brambling Fields junction upgrade scheme predicts an increase in traffic passing through Yorkersgate and Old Maltongate as a result of the HGV restriction.

It is reassuring to know that this kind of calculated madness would never be allowed in the real world.

Simon Thackray, Brawby

Question to council

REFERENCE the comment about vehicles parked on the A170 in Westgate, Pickering, by M Hammond.

The grass verges along some of its stretches are damaged by cars/vans driven up on the grass, then parked with the nearside wheels remaining on the kerb or even the grass itself.

This has resulted in serious erosion of the verges, which, with the recent rain and snow, means that substantial areas now have deep, muddy indentations which are both unsightly and dangerous.

No traffic survey costing £50,000 is required - how many potholes could that sum repair - in this instance simply action taken to prevent vehicles parking on the kerbs and grass if road widening or parking restrictions can or will not be implemented.

Moreover, the “no vehicles or horses on mown verges” signs in Westgate, which originated from a now defunct by-law should be removed and replaced by ones that can help to do something to prevent or minimise further destruction of grass verges and the northern roadside kerbstones.

Concerning this situation alone, previous letters to the Highways Department have not been answered or even acknowledged.

So, I finish with an open question to North Yorkshire County Council - what is that organisation actually doing to rectify the specific problems highlighted in both this and the previous letter to the Gazette?

B Baker, Pickering

Date for your diary

THE 70th anniversary party was held at Norton College on January 27. Thanks go out to both the school and the catering staff for the presentation of a superb Christmas meal.

Entertainment came from a local group - The 4 Quarters, comedian/singer John Hazelwood and the very talented and energetic Dance Expression, who are based in the Ryedale Community Leisure Centre in Norton.

Of course, these events cannot survive without funding and I personally wish to thank the following contributors - Bright Steels Ltd, Rotary Club, Malton and Norton Lions, Cllr Keane Duncan, our local MP Kevin Hollinrake and Norton Town Council.

This is an event in which the senior members of our community can meet up, chat and reminisce - long may it continue.

Kindly, put it in your diary for 2019. Thank you again to all those involved on the day.

Ray King, mayor of Norton

We must be vigilant

THE latest IPPR/Opinium poll shows more than 60 per cent of the public support tighter regulation on vehicle fuel emissions and more than 70 per cent want more renewable energy.

In Ryedale, we have even greater levels of support to stop fracking and avoid its tens of thousands of HGV journeys along our country roads. And as the generating costs of offshore wind farms plummet, we neither want nor need the burning of even more fossil fuels.

Permission to begin fracking at Kirby Misperton is awaiting inspection of Third Energy’s overdue accounts which reveal debts of over £500m.

Meanwhile, their contractors have started removing equipment from the site. Third Energy’s parent company is based in the Cayman Islands and directed by a Conservative party peer and donor with a non-executive role in the UK Treasury.

We must continue to be vigilant – the threat of fracking isn’t over yet.

Dr Peter Williams, Malton