Upgrade of A64 'vital to region'

An article in today's The Press by Richard Catton discusses the possible upgrade of the A64 in light of Thirsk and Malton's MP Anne McIntosh's call upon the Government "to commit to a major upgrade of the 35-mile stretch". The article also includes a commentary by North Yorkshire county councillor Ron Haigh who the article quotes as saying

"I represent villages from Rillington to Staxton and the only way we are cut the accident rate on the A64 is to go dual carriageway. If it was dual carriageway, I believe the number of road deaths in North Yorkshire would plummet. But it's not just the accident rate and deaths. Until we have a decent road in and out of Scarborough we are not going to get the investment. "

MP calls for fast road to coast...

Today's Yorkshire Post ran a long article by Paul Jeeves regarding the Rillington Bypass:

"Government Ministers will be urged tomorrow to push ahead with a massive programme of road improvements costing as much as £500m on North Yorkshire's main route to the coast. The campaign to upgrade the A64 between York and Scarborough has repeatedly fallen victim to funding shortages as previous governments gave other schemes greater priority. But concerns are now growing that seaside town regeneration is being jeopardised by inadequate links to the coast."

The article continues by discussing the concerns of Anne McIntosh, the MP for Thirsk and Malton:

"[Miss McIntosh] has tabled a question calling on a Government commitment to prioritise the A64 scheme to boost road safety and help the regeneration of Yorkshire's coastal communities. Miss McIntosh conceded that Government's attempts to cut public spending would significantly hit such schemes. But she added: 'The A64 should be a priority road and any improvements would be of benefit to not just North Yorkshire, but the region as a whole. It ticks all the right boxes - helping prevent congestion, a green agenda and improving road safety as well as the economic benefits of providing a better road network to the Yorkshire coast."

As part of the article, Rillington Bypass Group member Alan Robinson was also interviewed:

"To have a bypass in Rillington would change so many people's lives - a lot of the villagers are scared to walk along the side of the A64. We are pushing for the bypass for Rillington, but the whole stretch of the A64 between York and Scarborough needs to be looked at. It is such an important route, and one that needs major investment."

The article concludes with "Scarborough councillors will get an update on Monday about the A64 transport corridor study before a draft report is published in September."

Radio Broadcast

Sally Roger, the Chairperson for the Rillington Bypass Group. was interviewed today as part of a feature on a forthcoming broadcast of the BBC Radio York programme the Adam Tomlison Show. The interview is scheduled for broadcast on Thursday 22nd July.

Crash leads to new bypass call

Today's Malton & Pickering Mercury have reported on the recent crash on the Scampston slip road, just outside of Rillington. The article describes the accident and the following events before discussing the potential need for a bypass:

"The crash has once again led campaigners demanding a bypass to ease the congestion through the village and follows on from two serious accidents last year which were the catalyst for reigniting the campaign first launched decades ago."

The article includes an interview with bypass campaigner Beatrice Robinson, who states that

"It is quite appalling. We have basically been forgotten by many and condemned by few. It seems we do not count. If we have the bypass in 2006, it would have been finished in 2009 and this would never have happened."

The article also states the following figures:

"During last survey carried out by the Highways Agency, figures revealed that an average of 14,800 vehicles pass through the village, of which 1,300 are commercial vehicles."

Meeting

The Rillington Bypass Group will meet 14/06/10 at Rillington Village Hall.

Radio Broadcast

Sally Roger, the Chairperson for the Rillington Bypass Group, has spoken on radio today concerning the Rillington Bypass. Broadcast by BBC Radio York as part of the Adam Tomlinson Show, Sally appeared in a discussion alongside Anne McIntosh MP, Professor John Whitelegg from the University of York, and Lynn Webster.

We Need a Bypass Blog Polls End...

The We Need a Bypass Blog Polls have ended today. Since their appearance on the blog, these two polls have generated much interest and have received an overwhelming response...

The Results

The first poll question asked Do you believe that a bypass for Rillington will improve the quality of life for the village? A total of 70 people responded to this question with 68 answering yes, a total of 97% in favour.

The second poll question asked Do you think a bypass will improve your journeys on the A64? A total of 71 people responded to this question with 69 answering yes, a total of 97% in favour.

Look out for more polls soon...

Radio Broadcast

Sally Roger, the Chairperson for the Rillington Bypass Group, will be appearing on the BBC Radio York programme the Adam Tomlinson Show as part of a group discussion concerning the Rillington Bypass. The discussion is scheduled for broadcast on the 30th May.

Meeting

The Rillington Bypass Group will meet 12/05/10 at Rillington Village Hall.

Bypass Support

Over recent weeks Bypass group members have been contacting local and regional MPs and Parliamentary Candidates asking for their support in the pursuit of a bypass for Rillington. There responses have been overwhelmingly positive:

John Greenway, MP, said,

"I strongly support the campaign for the Rillington bypass to be constructed as quickly as possible. The Government approved this scheme years ago but subsequently delegated responsibility to Regional Assemblies. Sadly the Regional Assembly for Yorkshire does not feel that this bypass has sufficient priority. I would like to see North Yorkshire County Council, supported by Ryedale District Council and Scarborough Borough Council apply the maximum pressure to the Regional Assembly and Regional Development Agency to make this scheme the priority that local residents and visitors to the North Yorkshire coast deserve."

Anne McIntosh, MP, said,

"I am delighted to have lent support in the past and to renew that support. The levels of traffic pose a threat to road safety and there have been a tragic series of fatal accidents. The traffic levels also affect air quality levels, as well as disturbing the natural environment of Rillington itself."

Howard Keal, Liberal Democrat parliamentary candidate for Thirsk and Malton, said,

"I fully support the call for a bypass to relieve Rillington of the traffic which has plagued the village for decades. Calls for the by-pass were made more than 35 years ago and more than a decade afterwards Liberal Democrat Elizabeth Shields forced an early hours adjournment debate on the Conservatives when she was MP. The Tory Government responded to the compelling case put forward by doing nothing at all about a bypass for the next decade they were in power, followed by 13 years of failure to deliver it under Labour. I know there are concerns about trade in the village in the event of a bypass being built but strong direction signs coupled with the easier passage of remaining traffic would help reduce the impact on businesses. The improvements a bypass would offer in terms of safety and quality of life for villagers are so significant that the case has never been stronger. The accident record on the road and heavy traffic levels demand an answer - the answer is a bypass."

Jonathan Roberts , Labour parliamentary candidate for Thirsk and Malton, said,

"15,000 cars a day pass through Rillington every day as commuters, shoppers and holiday-makers navigate the county, and it is clear to see that a bypass would make a tremendous difference to the quality of life of local residents. The safety and economic arguments in favour of the bypass have already been made, and as far as I am concerned the debate has been won. Now is the time for action."

A64 safety measures are on the agenda

Today the Malton Gazette and Herald reported that "improvements are on the drawing board for the A64 including studies to improve safety at accidents blackspots". While the report covers the length of the A64, there is special mention of Rillington, through County Councillor Ron Haigh "whose division covers a stretch of the A64 from Rillington to Staxton, said he was anxious to see long-term improvements through the villages. He said

"The Rillington bypass has been on the drawing board for many years and its need is greater than ever."

Click on the image to read the full report.

"Why Rillington needs a bypass"

Following on from their letter published in the February 24 2010 edition of Malton Gazette and Herald, Rillington residents Colin and Rosalind Wicks have written in response to a previously published letter, "Bypass Backlash". In their letter, Colin and Rosalind reiterate the many reasons why Rillington is in desperate need of a bypass.

Please click on the image to read the full letter.

"Spot-checks on 112 vehicles"

Click on the image to read the full report.

Meeting

The Rillington Bypass Group will meet 24/03/10 at Rillington Village Hall.

"Motorists caught in police action"

The Bypass Campaign made an interesting appearance in the Malton Mercury today when they reported on the recent monitoring of the A64 by local police:

"Sixty-five fixed penalties have been dished out to motorists in an area where residents are campaigning for a bypass. A meeting of the Malton Rural East CAP (Community and Police) Group heard they were given out by police in the Rillington area to motorists for offences such as not wearing seat belts and using mobile telephones while on the move."

To read the full article, click on the image.