RESIDENTS in Bedale are protesting about a one way system in Wycar area proposed to help cope with extra traffic generated by a supermarket development.

Mrs Sue Gilbertson, a local resident says that the one way system is an after thought and a short term solution to a long term problem.

The proposal by the county highways department is the result of a planning application by Leathleys, which owns the Quality Fare chain of stores, to open a supermarket on the site.

Mrs Gilbertson says that the proposed one way system to the rear of the development will exacerbate problems in an already congested area, by pushing more traffic into the junction of Firby Road, Masham Road and Wycar.

The safety of school children is also of concern to her, as they use this area to get to and from school.

She describes the roads identified for extra use as: "Small, narrow lanes with no safe footpath for pedestrians, and are unsuitable for the amount of heavy traffic that this system will produce."

She added: "The highways department are making decisions to change the use of existing roads without consulting residents or considering the impact on others."

Mr Eddie Hayward, traffic manager for North Yorkshire County Council's environmental services, said they havd consulted all the relevant bodies.

He added that members of the public had also been given the opportunity to voice their opinions on the proposals, through advertisements in the local press and notices near the site in Wycar.

"We felt there was a need to look quite seriously at the lay out of the roads, because there is likely to be an affect on the amount of traffic in the area," he said.

"We thought the best way of dealing with that was to look at the possibility of a one way system and we've had a number of objections from residents, as well as one petition, about it."

Mr Hayward added that the next stage was for the proposal and objections from the public to be considered by members of the county council, which will not take place until the autumn, after the summer break.

"We are not trying to bulldoze this upon the local people, we are going through the proper legal procedures and they have been given an opportunity to have their say," he added.