A NEW link road and altered traffic light sequencing have been introduce to reduce congestion and traffic volumes near a new housing developments in Malton.

The lights at the junction of the B1257 Newbiggin and Mount Crescent were recently re-programmed, after a period of temporary lights, following the removal of the Pasture Lane approach.

The junction is adjacent to the 263-home Taylor Wimpy development in Broughton Road, and also to the new 314-home Linden Homes Showfield development in Pasture Lane.

The new lights have changed priorities; any vehicles coming into Malton and turning right into Mount Crescent are now faced by traffic coming from Malton which also receives a green light, as opposed to the former set-up where the lights allowed traffic out from each lane to turn freely to whichever exit they wished.

Richard Marr, North Yorkshire’s area highways manager for Ryedale said: “The signal staging was altered when the Pasture Lane approach to the junction was removed. It was a four-arm crossroads and is now a three-arm T-junction.

“As a result the inbound and outbound B1257 approaches now operate in the same signal stage. This change was made to increase the capacity of the revised junction and to reduce congestion.

“Traffic volumes in Broughton Road will have reduced now that the new link road to Pasture Lane is open.

“It is accepted that motorists who wish to turn right into Mount Crescent will now have to wait for a gap in the opposing traffic flow; however this is not an unusual situation at junctions be they under signal control or not.”

The changes have been commended, but have also been described as “poorly communicated”.

On user of the junction said: “There is nothing wrong with the junction per the highway code, and in my opinion traffic flow is much improved, I just felt that this change should have been communicated better.”

Mr Marr said: “The majority of local drivers are now aware of the change, so additional signing is not thought to be necessary.”