An accident blackspot on the A64 - scene of two fireball crashes in just two years - looks set to enter a deadly new phase.

Motorists fear manoeuvres through a gap in the central reservation at Bilbrough Top, between York and Tadcaster, will become even more dangerous when traffic lights at Copmanthorpe are switched off in the spring of 2002.

They say they will lose regular breaks in the west-bound traffic flow which are currently provided by the lights, giving opportunities to cross the carriageway to get to McDonalds Restaurant and villages like Bolton Percy.

But the Highways Agency will not close the gap until a new flyover is built at Bilbrough Top, in 2003, or 2004 if a public inquiry has to be held.

Sam Esler, Bilbrough Parish Council chairman, says he personally believes negotiating the gap will become more dangerous when the lights are switched off, and it should be shut.

York motorist David Hartley, who made a miraculous escape from his car when he drove into a road full of fire after a crash in the gap at the end of last month, also called for closure. "I would personally close the gaps regardless and make people travel that extra few minutes journey," he said.

"Until you've been involved in something like that nobody knows how close to death people are. I've been very, very lucky but a lot of people haven't been lucky."

The crash happened after a car apparently attempted a U-turn through the gap and was in collision with two other vehicles before Mr Hartley became caught up.

"I'm traumatised by what happened," he said. "I haven't been able to work since. I have been driving, but I'm very, very wary and concerned."

"The A64 gaps shouldn't be there at all. It's just ridiculous. The A64 between York and Tadcaster is just a death trap."

Highways Agency area manager Chris Holehouse said the lights switch-off issue had been raised by Bilbrough Parish Council in September.

"At the meeting, we stated that we did not believe that the removal of the lights at Top Lane would cause additional problems at the Colton Lane/Bilbrough Top junction.

"However, we did agree to investigate these concerns further and hope to be able to reassure the parish council, at the public exhibition in the New Year (about the proposed Bilbrough Top flyover), that their worries are unfounded."