THE friend of a man killed in a road accident on the A64 at Golden Hill has called for an urgent upgrade of the road.

Sherle Wilson's friend, Scarborough pensioner Jack Caldwell, died on August 10 when his car was in collision with a coach.

Now Miss Wilson has written to highways authorities calling for the road to be converted into a dual carriageway.

Meanwhile, roads officials are saying that though there are no plans to dual the road, a public consultation on the A64 is set to start before the end of the year, giving people a chance to have their say on safety improvements.

"I have visited friends and relatives in Sheriff Hutton for many years and have had to use the A64 frequently," said Miss Wilson, who lives at Crawley, West Sussex.

"There appears to have been a great increase in fatal accidents on this road - largely between York and Malton where there is very little dual carriageway.

"Drivers get frustrated and stressed and sometimes take chances and sadly serious accidents and fatalities occur.

"I don't think there have been any significant improvements on this road for more than ten years, even though the car population has more than doubled."

She claimed the only way to make the road safer is to turn that section of the A64 into a dual carriageway. "I think it is about time the Government invested some money in this road - this will enable faster drivers to overtake slower moving traffic," she said.

"I suggest the Secretary of State buys four metres of land either side of the road and improves the road."

Miss Wilson said she had written to the Secretary of State calling for the improvements.

"Main roads in Devon and Cornwall, the A30 and A303, are largely dual carriageway and I think it is about time Yorkshire was given some priority, as a main holiday route, for improvement."

But a spokeswoman for the Highways Agency said: "There are no plans to dual the full length of the A64 at present.

"However, we are currently undertaking a route management strategy for the road, which will begin by looking at what it does now, and then examine what we need it to do in the future.

"It will help to identify issues that need to be tackled and enable us to put together a Route Management Plan - our vision for the A64 over the next ten years.

"Part of the strategy involves a public consultation exercise, which will begin later in the year, where we will be seeking the views of the general public and anyone with an interest in the road."

Updated: 11:15 Thursday, October 04, 2001