A VILLAGE, which has been campaigning two years for extra road safety measures to slow down traffic, has been told this week that the speed restriction could be increased instead.

Sandhutton parish council near Thirsk cannot understand why the option is being considered by North Yorkshire County Council.

"This is completely contrary to what we wanted and we do not understand the decision," said resident Mr Alan Hemsley.

"It seems as though the county council is wielding the big stick because we have continually pressed this campaign. It is a dangerous precedent and one which other parishes will have to watch out for."

The parish council was informed of the proposal and other options at this week's meeting.

A campaign for rumble strips and an extension of the 30mph limit plus "slow signs" on the A167 road through the village was started two years ago after a car ran into a school bus.

Fortunately, there were no serious injuries, but the accident prompted residents to start the fight to get traffic slowed down. Every household in the village signed the petition.

The request has gone backwards and forwards between parish council and the county council since then.

The parish council hoped the restriction could be extended to take in the village hall on the north side of the village to protect people using the hall.

Recently, the police were asked to conduct a survey on the speed of traffic and they came back with the comment that many motorists were exceeding the limit excessively.

But both councils were told that the police could not police or control the situation.

Another resident said: "This is a real mess. How can such a decision be made? In neighbouring village of South Otterington, which has similar road junctions and conditions, and fewer children, they have several traffic calming measures.

Mr Graham Cressey, transport planning officer with North Yorkshire County Council said: "This matter is not cut and dried by any means and there will be many more discussions with both the police and the parish council before any action is taken.

"Following discussions with the police they suggested that as the village is situated on a main road, one of the options to solve the problem of traffic breaking the speed limit is to increase it

"Other options being considered are an extension of the present limit, although the police are not happy about this, leaving the speed limit it as it is or putting in limited traffic calming measures. But no firm decision has been made."