FOUR years after it disappeared from the roads programme amid a storm of local protest, the prospect of a motorway between Dishforth and Barton has been revived by consultants who conducted an A1 safety survey.

Halcrow has offered the possibility of two separate schemes for the 24-mile section being built within the next eight years if its long-term recommendations are supported by the regional assembly and are given governmental approval.

The Highways Agency poured millions of pounds into surveys, designs and public consultations on two original schemes for a motorway between Dishforth and Barton.

Agricultural land, houses and some businesses were bought up or put under threat, and the Bedale Hunt pub at Sinderby was prematurely demolished.

But the plug was pulled by the Conservative government at the end of 1996 after £270m had been slashed from the roads programme in the previous year's budget.

The then transport secretary said it was important to remove uncertainty and blight hanging over individuals and neighbourhoods by withdrawing road schemes which had little chance of reaching fruition within a reasonable timescale.

News that the schemes were likely to be shelved for between ten and 15 years did not prove popular with road safety campaigners and business organisations, who said an efficient transport infrastructure, including an upgraded A1, was essential to help firms to operate competitively.

The full remit of the new A1 safety study, conducted by Halcrow for the Highways Agency and the Government Office for Yorkshire and the Humber, was to identify improvements over the 50-mile stretch between Bramham, West Yorkshire, and Barton.

The study involved a detailed analysis of accident records, a review of previous A1 schemes and an examination of wider transport issues including the potential for more use of rail as an alternative to the A1.

Among its non-motorway options which could be introduced fairly quickly, Halcrow recommended low-cost safety measures, estimated at £840,000, including closure of gaps in the central reservation and minor improvements to existing junctions. Given funding, Halcrow said, many of these could be implemented within three years.

Medium-cost safety measures costing an estimated £9.1m were suggested for accident cluster sites between Dishforth and Barton. These included remodelling existing junctions, a flyover at Rainton crossroads and improvements to the A1/A61 junction at Baldersby. Traffic signals at the Scotch Corner roundabout, which carries the A66 over the A1, were also recommended.

They said, however, that the dispersed pattern of A1 accidents meant that such local engineering measures could not address the 75pc of mishaps which occurred away from cluster sites.

Future upgrading to motorway between Dishforth and Barton would bring important safety benefits which could not be achieved by specific local improvements and would mean a consistent standard of layout and design from Yorkshire to Tyneside. Estimated cost was £131.6m at 1994 prices.

Halcrow said traffic orders already existed for the Leeming to Barton section, a scheme for which could be prepared with tenders being invited for a target building date of 2004-2005.

For the section between Dishforth and Leeming, draft orders would have to be published and a public inquiry held. On this basis the target date for construction could be 2007-2008.

If the motorway were approved, Halcrow said, the medium-cost measures suggested for Rainton crossroads and the Baldersby junction would have to be modified. They would be prepared as part of the motorway scheme and could be built ahead of the main works. None of the other medium-cost measures between Leeming and Dishforth would be needed.

Halcrow said traffic signals at Scotch Corner could still be implemented because of the safety and operational benefits which would arise in the years before the motorway was built.

Much of the Leeming to Dishforth section lies in the Parliamentary constituency represented by Miss Anne McIntosh, who said: "I have been very concerned, along with local people, about the accident record at Rainton crossroads and I welcome the improvements being suggested there.

"I think everyone will be disappointed that the consultants have not gone straight for motorway status and I will be pushing for that commitment through the regional assembly. Safety on the A1 is paramount, but knowing what is going to happen would remove the uncertainty for people living along the route."

County Coun Carl Les, whose Catterick division includes part of the A1 between Leeming and Barton, said: "Dishforth to Barton is now the only bit of trunk road on a motorway system from Newcastle to London.

"The consultants' proposals seem to make sense, but most sensible of all would be to bring back the motorway scheme. Let's get on with it."

Mr Mike Moore, environmental services director at North Yorkshire County Council, said: "I am delighted that a long-term solution could be upgrading the route to motorway standard, but that will take some time and it is important to tackle lower cost improvements such as at Rainton."

County Coun Michael Heseltine, whose Richmondshire North division includes Scotch Corner, sazid he would want to know more details about the proposed traffic signals, but his initial concern was that they could cause tailbacks towards the A1 carriageways.