HIGHWAYS bosses are finally taking two important steps to help tame the A64's notorious accident blackspot at Bilbrough Top.

Thirteen months after Jamie Sanders was killed while trying to run across the dual carriageway to catch a bus, signs have been erected warning motorists of other pedestrians crossing the road.

More than two years after an Evening Press video surveillance operation captured on camera an articulated lorry's hair-raising U-turn through a gap in the central reservation, the manoeuvre is set to be made illegal.

The pedestrian warning signs had first been expected last spring, along with other safety improvements for pedestrians, and were then planned to go up last summer and then before Christmas. The Highways Agency said the delays had been caused by difficulties in locating and designing an associated pedestrian refuge in the central reservation. The Northallerton parents of 16-year-old Jamie, who only three weeks ago attacked the "inexcusable" delays, today welcomed the belated arrival of the signs.

"It's about time they got it done," said Jamie's father, Colin.

"At least something has now been done which should help prevent a repeat of Jamie's accident."

Meanwhile, proposals to ban all U-turns through the Bilbrough Top gap have also been announced.

Until now, vehicles heading along the westbound carriageway towards Leeds have been allowed to make a U-turn to get on to the eastbound carriageway - even though eastbound motorists are barred from making a similar manoeuvre to get onto the Leeds-bound carriageway.

A 12-hour video surveillance operation was conducted at Bilbrough Top by Shy High Traffic on behalf of the Evening Press in December 1999.

The video showed an amazing manoeuvre by a lorry driver on the Leeds-bound carriageway who wanted to get back to York. His U-turn resulted in the outside lane being blocked for almost a minute. Now such a manoeuvre could be punished at least by a fixed penalty fine of £30, although the option of prosecution for dangerous driving would also be open to police.

A Highways Agency spokeswoman said the signs could now go up because the location and design for the pedestrian refuge had been agreed. The crossing would be provided imminently. She said the agency had originally planned to delay banning U-turns until a flyover was built at Bilbrough Top, but had brought it forward now for safety reasons.

Updated: 11:28 Friday, February 15, 2002