VILLAGE lanes were gridlocked at the weekend as motorists caught up in A64 traffic jams on the outskirts of York flouted a road closure to use Bilbrough as a rat run.

Police placed cones across the entrance to the village from the dual carriageway last Friday night, after jams caused by a contraflow at Copmanthorpe led to severe congestion in the village.

But parish council chairman Sam Esler said today that on Saturday, drivers repeatedly got out of their cars to remove the cones.

And when villagers went down to the A64 to put the cones back, a number of motorists gave them "the two fingers". The result was the worst congestion so far in Bilbrough.

An emergency meeting was called for this afternoon by North Yorkshire County Council highways department to discuss what measures are needed as roadworks continue.

Updated: 14:26 Monday, September 24, 2001