A two-and-a-half hour gap holds the key to discovering how a young driver was killed in a horrific crash near York.

Police were today trying to piece together the final moments of the 22-year-old who died when his car came off the A64 and hit a tree in the early hours of yesterday.

The dead man, who has not yet been named but is from the Pontefract area, was heading to York to visit his girlfriend when the grey Toyota Aygo he was driving left the eastbound carriageway of the road near the junction with Colton Lane between York and Tadcaster.

It landed in a ditch near Bilbrough Top and was not found until about 4.50am when a cyclist on his way to work along a nearby path discovered the crash and called police.

Thousands of motorists suffered a nightmare journey into work as the A64 eastbound was closed for five hours at the A1(M) Bramham junction several miles away - where the car was last seen at about 2.20am - and traffic was diverted off the motorway on to the A59 at Allerton Park and off the A64 through Tadcaster.

It meant gridlock chaos, with traffic queuing at Tadcaster for more than two hours as drivers struggled to find alternative routes.

North Yorkshire Police Traffic Sergeant Les Moorhouse, who is leading the investigation into the tragedy, said: "We are now trying to piece together what happened to the car after it was last seen at around 2.20am, having travelled from the Dewsbury area.

"It may have stopped somewhere between Bramham junction and the spot where it was found but, at the moment, we do not believe it did as the man was intending to travel to York to visit his girlfriend.

"We want to clarify whether anybody saw the car between 2.20am and 4.50am and, if anybody did see it, it is very important they come forward.

"When the car was found, it was facing the wrong way and pointing towards Leeds, so if people had been driving past they may have thought it was parked or abandoned and passed the scene without realising what had happened.

"We don't know how busy the road was at the time, but at that time of the morning it would have been quiet and would only have become quieter until about the time the car was found."

He said the dead man's relatives and girlfriend had been informed of his death.

The traffic problems which built up following the crash was added to by a minor accident involving three vehicles on the A59, which brought commuters to a standstill as the road was reduced to one lane while debris was cleared from it.

Many commuters heading into York from Leeds and the west of the city went on the A19 and came into York through Selby, but also faced a wait of around two hours.

Fact file

* 2.20am: Toyota Aygo being driven by 22-year-old man last seen on A1 near its junction with the A64

* 2.30am: Estimated time that police believe the Toyota left the road on the A64 eastbound and crashed into a tree close to the Colton Lane junction

* 4.50am: A cyclist discovers the wrecked car. Police and an ambulance are called. The 22-year-old driver is pronounced dead at the scene. The A64 eastbound is closed to all traffic at the A1M Bramham junction and traffic is diverted on to the A59

* 8.30am: Traffic still stuck on the A64 between Copmanthorpe and Bilbrough Top is allowed through by police

* 10.30am: A64 eastbound reopened to traffic

Vehicles stuck on the A64 eastbound from around 5.30am, when the road was closed, were eventually let through at about 8.30am when police briefly reopened the road to allow them to pass.

One lorry driver, who did not want to be named, said he had been waiting for about three hours to get through to York.

"It's just been complete chaos," he said.

"The frustrating thing is that nobody is letting you know anything, and we have just had to sit here for hours not knowing when we are going to get through or if we're going to have to turn round and go back the way we came."

Recovery vehicles cleared the A64 and it was reopened to traffic at 10.30am.

Anybody who believes they may have seen the car between 2.20am and 4.50am should phone Traffic Sergeant Moorhouse on 0845 6060247.


Water torture and traffic chaos

THE traffic chaos which built up in the wake of the A64 death crash was not helped by torrential rain which continued to lash North Yorkshire yesterday.

As drivers searched for alternative routes after the main road between York and Leeds was shut following the death of a 22-year-old motorist, they found many side roads waterlogged, while the B1222 at Naburn was closed due to flooding.

Cars struggled to get through on the sodden roads, and motorists were set for more frustration today as, although drier weather is forecast, torrents of water pouring down from high ground were also expected to send river levels rising.

In Naburn, parish council clerk Jenny Balding said: "Today will be a crucial day for this area as we have had heavy downpours and that means water will be coming down from the hills.

"We will all just have to keep our fingers crossed."

The Environment Agency said flood warnings remained in place for the River Ouse in York's city centre - where riverside footpaths are still submerged - and at Naburn Lock, as well as on the River Derwent at Buttercrambe Mill. Water levels in the Ouse had risen to more than 11ft yesterday evening.

The weather was predicted to improve today and tomorrow, but the Met Office says more heavy rain could be on the way on Sunday.

The Highways Agency was called in to put traffic diversions in place following the death crash on the A64 near York.

A spokeswoman said: "Three incident support units attended the scene.

"The specially-equipped vehicles aim to deal with traffic management arrangements while the police continue with investigations at the site. As in all incidents, the Highways Agency's role is to implement any closures or diversions requested by the police.

"We amended signs on the A1 and M1 to warn traffic about the incident and the signs also gave information about the diversion via the A59. Details of the closures were posted on the Highways Agency's website and the details were also included on radio traffic bulletins.

"The agency aimed to keep drivers informed and work with the police to manage traffic while investigations at the scene of the accident were carried out."


Flood levy rise

COUNCILLORS have agreed to increase the amount they contribute to flood defences across Yorkshire.

Coun Andrew Waller, who is City of York Council's representative on the Yorkshire Regional Flood Defence Committee, said members agreed yesterday to a 50 per cent increase in a local authority flood levy.

York will pay £33,000 in the next financial year, up from £22,000 this year, while North Yorkshire County Council's contribution rises to £107,000.

Coun Waller said Yorkshire Forward had also agreed to make a contribution, increasing the total amount raised by the levy to £1 million.

He said it would now be up to local communities to bid for funds from the flood defence levy.