ANGRY villagers have condemned a council's refusal to grit a road linking them to the A19 as "an accident waiting to happen".

Residents of the Rountons, Appleton Wiske and surrounding areas said the decision by North Yorkshire County Council's Highways department was "ridiculous and dangerous".

After the controversial closure the of the Black Swan junction on the A19 earlier this year, the county council said it would consider requests to grit the single-track country road used by many drivers as an alternative. But residents have now received a letter to say this will not be carried out.

Derek Lawton, chairman of Rountons Parish Council, said locals were incensed by the decision not to grit the minor road, which joins the A19 near Crathorne and feeds into the Rountons and Appleton Wiske.

Coun Lawton said: "That road is in a terrible state and now to be told it won't be made safe during the winter is beyond belief.

"We were against the closure of the Black Swan junction from the start, but the decision was made and highways told us we would have to use the back roads for access. But we can't be expected to use them if they aren't willing to ensure they are safe."

Coun Lawton said the road needed resurfacing and had drainage ditches on either side which posed dangers when vehicles met.

"As a single-track rural road, it's difficult enough when two cars meet in good weather in the height of summer," he said. "But on an ungritted road in winter the situation becomes ridiculous and dangerous with all the wagons, delivery vans, tractors and trailers that need access.

"When winter comes we want see the road ploughed, gritted and repaired. We were told to use the back roads and if this is what they wanted they can take responsibility for our safety on it."

But Mike Roberts, highway maintenance manager for North Yorkshire County Council, said locals were not encouraged to use that road.

"There is a gritting service which works on roads connecting all the villages in that area," said Mr Roberts. "Now the junction has changed, people are able to get to all the villages using gritted roads.

"The road in question is one some people might be tempted to use as a short-cut, but as a single-track road with ditches on either side, it's not one we recommend people to use, which is why it has not been included in the gritting plan.

"In the winter the snowploughs service all roads in a priority order, starting with the major roads and working out to the minor ones, which would include that one.