THE HIGHWAYS Agency is to check whether road safety improvements on the A64 are working effectively following concern from nearby residents.

Locals from Whitwell-on-the- Hill believe new road markings between their village and Welburn are causing vehicles to bunch up in the left hand lane of the dual-carriageway.

This, they claim, is not only dangerous but makes it difficult for them to get on to the busy road.

The markings are a mixture of red paint and chevrons which urge motorists to move into the left hand lane shortly before the road becomes a single carriageway again.

Concern has been so strong that Whitwell and Crambe parish council has taken up the cause.

In a letter to the road safety department at North Yorkshire County Council, Christopher Gillam, council chairman, said: "The result of the new road markings has been to concertina following traffic behind vehicles entering the dual carriageway. The A64 traffic on this stretch of road travels extremely fast and joining vehicles find following traffic, in an attempt to avoid using the red road markings, brake heavily, narrowly avoiding the entering vehicle.

"Could you as a matter of urgency look into the situation and comment on whether you feel in retrospect if these measures are having the desired effect or are in effect endangering local road users."

A spokesman for the Highways Agency said: "In response to concerns from Whitwell and Crambe parish council, the Highways Agency will be undertaking an after-study to look at how effective the new lining arrangements have been. We have written to the parish council and confirmed that and once we have the results we will be going back to them with views about what to do."

Meanwhile Ryedale District Council has shown its support for a proposal to improve the eastern end of the Malton by-pass. The Highways Agency has proposed closing a gap in the central reservation near Scagglethorpe at Marrs Farm.

There have been a number of near misses at the spot as vehicles turn round to head back towards Norton.

The council accepted a proposal by Coun Keith Orrell (Lib Dem, Malton) that they should write to the Agency in support of the plan. He said: "Whilst I support the closing of this gap for clear safety reasons, this is an opportunity for Ryedale District Council to highlight to the Highways Agency the many similar dangerous turnings on the A64."