Pedestrian crossing considered for A63 in Monk Fryston

Nearly 400 people signed a petition in three days challenging the council to begin works on a long-awaited pedestrian crossing in Main Street, which runs through Monk Fryston.

It came after Keir Mather, the MP behind the petition, said that crossing the road could be “difficult” for most people – and made even more dangerous for young, elderly and disabled residents.

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He added: “Anyone who lives in Monk Fryston will tell you that near misses or collisions occur far too frequently, and residents are subjected to unacceptable risks when crossing the road.”

The MP’s petition gathered nearly 400 signatures in three days, calling for action to be taken on the busy road (Image: Supplied)

The busy rural road up to and through the village is subject to a high volume of HGVs and agricultural vehicles and was the site of five crashes between 2020 and 2024 – one of which was fatal.

Speaking about this and the road safety campaign, North Yorkshire Council’s corporate director of environment, Karl Battersby, said: “We take our road safety responsibilities seriously, and, based on a recent assessment, our engineers have been considering options for a puffin crossing, which uses smart sensors to detect pedestrians and adjust light timings.

“We have identified a potential site between Water Lane and the village shop.

“To introduce a pedestrian crossing, the kerb line would need to be changed on both sides of the road, losing some on-street parking spaces, including outside of the shop.

“It would also mean having to relocate kerbed islands, manholes and gullies.

“Therefore, we are working out the cost and considering how it could be funded.

“We are liaising with the parish council and, should the scheme be approved, a consultation would be carried out later this year ahead of it being delivered.”