A restaurant owner claims better lighting and speed controls are needed rather than gap closures to tackle carnage on the A64 near Tadcaster.

Mohammed Aslam was responding to Highways Agency proposals to stop customers from his Aagrah Restaurant using a gap in the central reservation to turn right onto the eastbound carriageway.

Mr Aslam said the safety of customers at the Indian Restaurant, formerly the Wild Man pub, was his first priority.

He had not yet decided whether to formally oppose the gap closure proposal. But he warned that closure of gaps along the A64 would not only cripple businesses such as his, which had been given planning permission to open under existing conditions, but also would not solve the dangers.

He felt it would be much more effective to cut the speeds of motorists, many of whom hurtled along at 80, 90 or 100mph.

"They need controls on speeds on that road. It isn't a rural road any more. There are businesses and residents in that area."

He also felt proper lighting should be erected to combat accidents, most of which happened at night. "The lighting is very poor in the area," he said.

Another important step would be to improve signing, in particular to prevent motorists using the wrong exit from the Aagrah car park to get to the gap, a manoeuvre which left them driving diagonally across the westbound carriageway.

But Selby MP John Grogan has urged safety campaigners to object to the Highways Agency's proposals and call for the complete closure of all the A64's gaps.

He said: "The great problem with these proposals is how do you enforce them?

"Parish councillors on either side of the A64 want the gaps closing straight away, and I think Agency chiefs may well be surprised by the strength of feeling when we meet them in Tadcaster on Friday.

"If enough people object, there is nothing to stop the Agency issuing a new consultation document on closing all the gaps."

Readers signing coupons calling for the closure of gaps on the A64 have until the first post on Friday to return the forms to: The Evening Press, at 76, Walmgate, York, YO1 1YN. They will be handed over to Selby MP John Grogan later on Friday prior to a meeting with highways chiefs.

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