THE Government has ruled out upgrading a North Yorkshire road, despite pleas from safety campaigners.

Transport Minister David Jamieson has announced that there are no proposals for an overhaul of the A64 between the A1 and the North Yorkshire coast.

Campaigners had hoped an upgrade would potentially involve the dualling of the A64 in its entirety.

The news has come as a disappointment to councillors and business leaders on the coast, who claimed the poor state of the road was having an adverse effect on investment in the area.

Instead, the Government is planning a public consultation before compiling a draft route management strategy.

"Whilst the strategy will not identify major improvements, it will look at maintenance and smaller scale improvements," Mr Jamieson said in a letter to Ryedale MP John Greenway.

"I understand the desire locally for the route to be improved ... but there are no proposals at present for a major upgrade," he said.

Mr Greenway, who raised the issue with the Government earlier this year, said: "I hope we will not have to wait too much longer to see the detail of what the Government intends for parts of the A64 where the present road is inadequate."