Scotch Corner A1/A66 interchange upgrade is needed "sooner rather than later" following a series of major developments

Councillors serving communities from across North Yorkshire have told National Highways action is urgently needed to remedy gridlock and safety issues on roads including the A66 and A1(M) in the county's north, the A64 to the east and the M62 in the county's south.

A meeting of North Yorkshire Council's transport, economy and environment scrutiny committee heard various members voice frustration over the lack of progress over decades on major road upgrades in the county.

After underlining that it was up to the Government to select which major schemes to prioritise, a National Highways officer was told the upgrade of Scotch Corner interchange was needed "sooner rather than later" following a series of major developments being approved beside the junction.

Councillor Stephen Watson said queues of traffic regularly backed down the junction's A1(M) slip roads, adding: "That junction barely copes as it is."

Camblesforth councillor Mike Jordan warned the agency plans for a former colliery, a power station and to extract pulverised fuel ash would see significant extra pressure on junction 34 of the M62.

Other elected members highlighted how the hotly-anticipated A64 upgrade had seen many false dawns over 40 years and others claim the failiure to make progress had seen residents failed.

Councillors added how they were powerless to stop developments alongside the trunk road after being given the thumbs up by National Highways despite the A64 already being at full capacity.

Councillor Caroline Goodrick told the National Highways officer: "We have a duty, you have a duty, as a highways authority to protect the travelling public, and I don't see that happening."

The agency's officer said the company looked "very carefully" at planning applications, but it did not want to discourage economic growth and job creation.

However, the meeting heard National Highways had the power to stop developments due to their impact on the trunk road network.

The meeting was told numerous factors, such as the volume of accidents and the number of vehicles were used to assess the cost-benefit of schemes, but it was up to the Government which road upgrades were prioritised.

It comes after Transport Secretary Mark Harper suggested the scheme to make the A64, the road with the worst serious accident and fatality record in the North of England, into a dual carriageway would not start before 2030.

The committee was told every potential major scheme had its cost-benefit ratio scutinised and North Yorkshire's schemes had often not overcome stiff competition from other areas of the country.

The National Highways officer suggested the chances of major road upgrades in North Yorkshire would next year, when North Yorkshire will have an elected mayor to advocate directly with Ministers in Westminster.