'An accident waiting to happen' - Staithes motorists left frustrated by lengthy delays to roadworks
Residents in Staithes are becoming increasingly irritated by roadworks on the main road through the village which they say have been ‘abandoned’ and causing a danger for motorists.
The hole in the road and traffic lights have been there for around 16 months now on Whitby Road, close to the junction with Staithes Lane.
One of the main frustrations is the lack of activity or any workmen on the site despite the roadworks being there.
One villager, Carmen Leslie, described the roadworks as “a complete nightmare and an accident waiting to happen”.
"You’re stuck one end on the top of a dip, the other end you can’t see if any cars are coming due to the dip.
"It’s okay when the lights are working but they are constantly getting stuck on red, leaving drivers to have no choice but to risk setting off on a red light and hope for the best.
“The side road out of Staithes now gets congested as if the car in front is turning towards the traffic lights, you’re stuck behind that too.
"Fair enough if work is being done, but no-one has done any work for 16 months.
"So why is money been spent on the lights?”
Hera Giannakopolous described it as “an absolute joke” and added: “The road next to the traffic lights is in a proper state now and will need resurfacing - and that means more traffic lights.”
Lee Porritt said: “Absolutely ridiculous. Been there 16 months and have been stuck on red both ways for most of that time.”
Barry Bavister lives next to the works and said it was about time the work got sorted.
“It’s driving me mad, motorbikes winding up their engines to fly off when it turns green, cars beeping their horns when they aren’t working,” he said.
Angie Davidson added: “Very dangerous when people jump the lights, seen it happen too many times.”
In April, first birthday balloons and banners were tied to the roadworks by locals marking their frustration at a year of inactivity at the site.
The Whitby Gazette took up the issue with North Yorkshire Council.
The authority’s assistant director for highways and transportation, Barrie Mason, said: “The delays affecting the roadworks on Whitby Road in Staithes are linked to damage affecting the highway drainage infrastructure.
“While progress has taken longer than we anticipated, the scheme has not been abandoned.
"Extensive work has been carried out to identify the cause of the problem, establish responsibilities and agree what repairs are needed.
“Our highways team is actively working with a number of partners to agree the scope of the necessary repairs and progress the works as quickly as possible.
“Once the repairs have been completed, the temporary traffic lights can be removed.
"We would like to thank residents and road users for their patience while this matter is resolved.”