A DATE has been set at last for a multi-million pound scheme to scrap the notorious A64 traffic lights at Copmanthorpe, near York.

And plans for a bypass on a Ryedale stretch of the road have also taken a step forward.

Tenders will be invited for the Copmanthorpe stretch in January, with the contract, involving a new underpass, expected to be awarded in April next year.

Work will start the following month and be completed after 14 months in July 2002.

After objections by some residents and landowners, the Highways Agency has finally been given the go-ahead to correct a junction where between 1992 and 1996 there were 36 accidents, plus further deaths and injuries since.

The Evening Press has campaigned for closure of all gaps on the A64 between York and Tadcaster, including the ones at Copmanthorpe.

But the price of the safety project has risen from an estimated £2.2 million when first mooted two years ago to £3.6 million now.

A spokesperson for the agency said: "Schemes like Copmanthorpe are always being reviewed and updated.

"Since we first assessed the cost, we have obtained more detailed information about the cost of the land with an up-to-date valuation. We also have more detail about the cost of moving particular services such as gas, electricity and telephone."

The work entails removing the existing Top Lane, Copmanthorpe junction on the A64 and building a new link road and underpass from Top Lane to the A1036 slip road into York. Two new traffic signals-controlled junctions will be needed on the A1036 and more than half a mile of A64 carriageway diverted. A new footbridge on the A1036 will take pedestrians over the railway line.

Meanwhile, plans for a bypass on the A64 at Rillington are set to be unveiled by Highways Agency bosses at the end of this month.

The Highways Agency is to stage a public exhibition outlining the options on November 24 and 25.

Residents are also set to receive details about the exhibition along with a form for their comments.

Officials from the agency will be at the display, which is being held at Rillington Village Hall, to answer questions.

After the exhibition people will have six weeks to send their views on the scheme to the agency.

A dangerous stretch of the A64 at Golden Hill was the scene of an accident in which two people were seriously injured last night.

The crash took place at the Huttons Ambo junction, at the bottom of the hill, and involved a Fiat Van which collided with a Vauxhall Astra.

The male driver and the female passenger in the Astra were taken to hospital with "serious but not life-threatening" head, neck and chest injuries.

The male driver of the Fiat is believed to have escaped unhurt.