A COUNCIL chief fears further accidents are inevitable at a notorious blackspot on the A64 between York and Tadcaster.

Martin Connor, chief executive of Selby District Council, said the authority "totally supports" urgent safety action at Bilbrough Top, where three people have died in the past three years.

Two of the fatal accidents involved cars passing through a gap in the central reservation and being struck by vehicles coming along the dual carriageway.

Mr Connor said the council had for some considerable time been petitioning for the closure of the gap. "The council has been told consistently by the Highways Agency that it would not be possible to close the gap prior to the start of contract work at the site."

But the council had great fears that further accidents were an inevitability. "The gap should be closed now!" he said.

Mr Connor was writing in support of renewed efforts by the Evening Press to get the gap closed.

It should have been shut in June, when work was due to start on construction of a flyover to allow vehicles to cross the dual carriageway safely.

The project was halted because costs were considerably higher than the agency had expected, and it will now have to go back for fresh consideration by Roads Minister David Jamieson this autumn.

The paper is pressing Mr Jamieson to approve the flyover and intends passing Mr Connor's letter, along with others from local authorities, the emergency services and readers, to the Minister before he makes his decision.

Updated: 10:58 Monday, September 15, 2003