CAMPAIGNERS demanding a bypass around a small North Yorkshire village are to hold a crunch meeting with their MP, in an effort to ensure the scheme gets the green light.

Residents of Thormanby, near Easingwold, will tomorrow meet Vale of York MP Anne McIntosh, and County Councillor Peter Sowray, in an attempt to persuade County Hall chiefs to apply for government cash which could allow the scheme to go ahead.

The stretch of the A19 through Thormanby has been dubbed "Death Hill" by residents, who have seen four fatalities and countless near-misses in recent years.

Local people are determined to see the road re-routed around the village.

The decision on whether Thormanby will get its £2.1 million bypass rests with North Yorkshire County Council, which has until July to consider whether it should bid for funding from the scheme through its local transport plan.

A plan for a bypass for the village was scrapped last year, making residents more determined to ensure they gain approval this time round.

Parish assembly chairman Barry Dodd said: "If it was worthy of consideration last year, why shouldn't it be worthy this year?

"We need to try to get a commitment that a bypass will be put forward in this year's scheme. Nothing has changed since last year."

Ms McIntosh, who supports the campaign, said the county council had approved bypasses on the A61 at Killinghall and the A165 at Reighton last year, making it crucial to keep Thormanby in the public eye. She said: "I place a high priority on securing a bypass for Thormanby."

Updated: 11:27 Thursday, April 25, 2002