A TRAFFIC calming scheme in a Ryedale town centre has made a road more dangerous for both pedestrians and motorists, according to scores of residents.

More than a year after the road safety measures were completed on the B1248 Beverley Road at Norton, 110 residents handed in a petition to North Yorkshire County Council.

The petition, which includes a long list of grievances about the traffic calming scheme, was being considered today by North Yorkshire County Council's Ryedale Area Committee.

The petitioners claimed there are not enough signs to warn motorists about the sleeping policemen, which are too high, uneven and not wide enough.

The residents complained the chicane outside the county council's The Hawthorns care home for the elderly is too near the junction of Furlongs Avenue and the turn into Chapman's Garage.

The petitioners also stated the chicane area is dangerous in the early morning and late afternoon when people are wanting to get home and are unwilling to give way in getting through the gap.

Finally, the petition states the chicane at the top of Beverley Road is insufficiently lit and is not adequately signposted.

But a council officer's report to today's meeting said North Yorkshire Police considered the scheme to be working "satisfactorily". It said the Malton, Norton and District Road Safety Committee also defended their work, saying:

  • The scheme had been effective at reducing speeds
  • Dangers were caused by impatient, selfish drivers who will abuse any form of traffic calming measures - they can only be dealt with by enforcement of the law
  • Large-scale changes to the scheme were unnecessary and would be wasteful of limited funds for road safety measures.

Gordon Gresty, corporate director of business and environmental services at the county council, said: "It is a common complaint associated with chicanes that some drivers will not give way in accordance with the signing.

"However, generally an improvement in safety through reduced speeds more than offsets potential dangers of irresponsible drivers."

Mr Gresty said that no personal injury accidents had been recorded since the completion of the scheme.

He said speed surveys showed the scheme had been successful at reducing traffic speeds.

He also said a street lighting scheme was to be installed at the chicane on the entrance to Norton from the south east. Mr Gresty recommended no alterations should be made to the scheme, except those already progressing as part of the Road Safety Audit procedures.