Pressure to close a second gap on the A64 near York was rising today after police revealed there have been 22 serious accidents there in little more than four years.

The Highways Agency announced last week that a gap in the central reservation at Colton Lane End is to be shut, but there are no plans to close a similar gap just 200 yards along the dual carriageway at Bilbrough Top.

A woman narrowly escaped being burnt to death last week after her car was involved in a collision at that gap, adjacent to the McDonalds restaurant complex.

The woman, Donna Holmes, was dragged free by other motorists but suffered severe burns to her hands. And the latest shocking accident figures showed today that there is little to choose between the two locations in terms of accidents.

Police say there were 22 accidents involving injuries at Bilbrough Top between January 1,1994 and today, compared with 24 injury accidents during the same period at Colton Lane End.

Police traffic officer David Brown, who has compiled the statistics, said the force was aware that the accident risk might increase at Bilbrough Top following closure of Colton Lane End's gap.

Motorists on the York-bound A64 may use the gap to get to Bolton Percy and other nearby villages, rather than travelling up the A64 to use the flyover at Copmanthorpe to cross the A64.

But TC Brown stressed that U-turns through the gap would be illegal and subject to punishment.

The Highways Agency today said its accident figures for the two gaps were different, with 26 accidents at Colton Lane End and 15 at Bilbrough Top between 1992 and May 1998. However, a spokesman said it safety was of paramount importance and it was constantly monitoring safety across the highways network, including Bilbrough Top.

And the agency would be in consultation with police to see whether any further safety measures could be introduced at the gap.

Meanwhile, the Army has revealed that Donna Holmes, a Signaller based at Imphal Barracks had been on standby to go out to Kosovo before the accident.

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