LONG-held hopes of multi-million pound bypasses being built around the busy market towns of Helmsley and Pickering have been dashed as have plans for a southern bypass at Malton and Norton.

North Yorkshire County Council says the schemes have been ruled out on their potential impact on major archaeological sites, protected areas of the countryside and what it describes as "poor economic performance" to the communities.

The news was revealed to members of the county's Ryedale area committee meeting at Terrington, when director of environmental services Mike Moore said in a report to be presented to the Government in the next few months that an appraisal of all major schemes at present on the Highways Department's drawing board had been carried out as part of the new Local Transport Plan for 2006 to 2011.

It is now out for public consultation and will go before the county council's meeting in May and then be sent to the Department for Transport in Whitehall.

The latest figures for a bypass at Pickering have been put at just under £11million, he said, but the route would go through sites of nature conservation interest. While there would be a reduction in through traffic, the volume of tourist traffic would remain.

The scheme would have a direct impact on Costa Beck and Pickering Beck, which have otter populations.

On the Helmsley scheme, estimated to cost £5.6 million at present day figures, while it would bring potential improvements to the tourist honey-spot, its route would be through at least nine archaeological sites and it would severely detract from the countryside.

Trees would have to be felled and extensive earthworks carried out to negotiate the topography of the new road. The route would be close to Bronze Age remains, says the report. As a result, it would not receive Government funding and would also have poor economic benefits.

The report also scuppers the dream of re-opening the Malton to Pickering rail link - closed 40 years ago this month.

Mr Moore says that while studies on the possibility were completed in 2003, funding for re-instating the line - estimated to cost £20m - is unlikely to be available in the short term, so no further investigation work is planned.

The building of a bypass around the bottleneck twin villages of Burniston and Cloughton on the A171 Scarborough to Whitby road, which was first planned 50 years ago, is also ruled out. Expected to cost £14.4 million, the route would go through historic and nature conservation sites.

Village by-passes in general are unlikely to win Government funding at the present time, believes Mr Moore. Priorities in the new plan include better provision for cyclists, pedestrians and passenger transport services.

Over the next six years, some £150 million is due to be spent on improving North Yorkshire's roads with priorities being given to schemes which will alleviate congestion, improve the environment, road safety, economy and quality of life, according to the new transport plan.

On the dualling of the A64, the report says that the dualling is acknowledged as the preferred option for the heavily-used road and more assessment work is to be carried out to "identify the most environmentally and economically advantageous" route.

North Yorkshire County Council is to work with First Keolis to upgrade access to the six railway stations on the TransPennine Network in the county, which is expected to include Malton.

County Coun Betsy Hill said the Pickering bypass had been at the top of the county authority's reserve list for 15 years. ''But, realistically, such a scheme is very long-term," she added.

Pickering was now in the throes of getting a traffic management study, examining ways of solving congestion and dealing with its growing volume of tourist traffic. Coun Hill said she was anxious to see Pickering people express their views.

She believed residents' parking, retaining a pleasant environment and park and ride facilities were likely to be among the key issues. "We do have a big traffic problem," said Coun Hill.

Initially, ten per cent of households are to be canvassed prior to everyone being consulted.

Coun Chris Parkin, one of Helmsley's representatives on Ryedale District Council, believed that a by-pass around the beauty spot could have a major detrimental effect on its economy because many businesses relied on motorists who were passing through, stopping to visit and spending money.

John Dale, town clerk of Helmsley, said the idea of a by-pass for the town dated back to his first meeting as the clerk in 1979. "I seem to remember it had a mixed response,'' he said.

Updated: 15:05 Wednesday, March 09, 2005