TRAFFIC calming measures to be introduced to slow speeding traffic in Great Ayton have been described as over the top.

In a letter read out to members of North Yorkshire County Council's area committee for Hambleton, Coun June Imeson likened the proposals to using a sledgehammer to crack a nut.

There have been 22 accidents on the A173 over the last three years, with a particular problem at the junction of Newton Road and the A173.

The proposed traffic calming measures are aimed at slowing traffic and improving road safety by creating more prominent gateway features into the village to include yellow-backed speed limit signs as well as traffic islands and extra road markings.

Chevron signs, "Slow" road markings, a mini roundabaout at the junction of Newton Road with the A173, school crossing patrol signs and a zebra crossing are also planned.

However, Coun John Fletcher objected to the proposals: "Between 1994 and January 2000, 33 accident reports were generated. Of those, one could be attributed to speed," he said. "The kind of accidents that occurred were on black ice, diesel and snow, five pedestrians crossing in front of vehicles and so on."

He added: "There is no speed issue in Great Ayton and we don't want to be urbanised. We don't want it looking like a road into Middlebrough, because it isn't, it's a road into a village."

The police insisted that their checks had shown that drivers used inappropriate speeds in Great Ayton and the only way to reduce the number of accidents was to reduce traffic speeds with visible traffic calming measures.

Coun Caroline Seymour suggested that if Ayton did not want the traffic calming measures, there were other places that would appreciate them.

Members voted in favour of the traffic calming measures.

l Following a site meeting in Stokesley, members of North Yorkshire County Council's area committee for Hambleton agreed to abandon plans to introduce a waiting restriction in West Green.

However, they have agreed to a waiting restriction in West End on the eastern side of Thirsk Road and within 10m of the junction of West End with Thirsk Road