A YORK roundabout is an "accident waiting to happen", according to a resident.

Sylvia Langan, of Lanshaw Croft, Clifton Moor, York, says the roundabout near her home is dangerous for motorists.

The roundabout at Clifton Moor and leads to the Tesco superstore, the Vue cinema and the Flying Legends pub. But Mrs Langan said she had seen a lot of near-accidents and instances of road rage on the roundabout caused by confusing signs.

The elevated signs on the approach to the roundabout from the York Outer Ring Road direct motorists to use the left hand lane to go to Tesco, the middle lane to take the second left to Vue and the right hand lane to go straight on to Clifton Moor Gate or right on to Longwood Road. But the signs painted on to the road tell motorists to use the middle lane to go straight on.

Mrs Langan said: "The sign doesn't tie up with the road markings. I am a bag of nerves when I go round it.

"Last week someone told me their daughter had had to go on to the roundabout itself because someone was in the wrong lane. And I have had drivers wave their fists at me for being in the right lane."

She contacted City of York Council several times about the problem and two years ago she was sent a plan of the roundabout showing a proposal to reduce the three lanes to two. One year later, after making more complaints, she received a letter from Alistair Briggs, a council traffic engineer, saying the revised layout had not been implemented because of staffing shortages.

The letter claimed the work would be tackled in 2003. But the council still has not changed the signs on the roundabout.

"All it really boils down to is re-signing the road," she said. "I have even offered to paint it myself. Everyone I talk to in my street says they hate the roundabout as well."

A council spokeswoman said: "The council is in the process of checking all the roundabouts and signage on the outer ring road and roads leading off it. This particular roundabout will be assessed as part of that."

Updated: 10:53 Monday, May 03, 2004