POLICE are launching a campaign to clamp down on speeding motorists in the county's hundreds of miles of lanes.

Inspector Neil Burnett said there was increasing concern about the roads being used as rat-runs by people getting to work and trying to avoid bottlenecks on busy routes.

The eastern area of the North Yorkshire police force now has control over patrol operations, which enables problem roads to be targeted.

The move follows a survey that revealed people driving on rural roads take less care than those on urban roads.

The transport minister David Jamieson said the Government was launching a campaign to address the problem.

"Too many accidents are happening on quiet country roads.

"It's only right we highlight the dangers and urge motorists to take the same care as they do when driving un urban areas to avoid crashes" he said.

According to the department of transport, 63 per cent of all fatal accidents happen on rural roads .

Inspector Burnett said the Ryedale area had seen a number of crashes where people have been killed or seriously injured in recent years.

The police are also launching a campaign against anti-social driving, including drivers who do not have insurance.