FORTY villages across North Yorkshire have 30mph speed limits which cannot be enforced, it has been claimed.

County Coun Michael Pitts told the county council's Yorkshire coast and moors area committee that it was "intolerable" that such a situation existed, because speed limit signs are not correctly sited.

He said two villages in his own ward, Burniston and Cloughton, where six years ago two young children died after they were hit by a motorcycle, had been given speed limits. However, residents were horrified to discover that they could not be enforced by the police.

Coun Pitts called for a top-level investigation and was told that the issue was due to go before the council's overview and scrutiny committee in February.

The committee agreed that the 30mph limit at Staithes, on the A171 road, should be extended to include the neighbouring hamlet of Dalehouse.

Residents, backed by their local councillors Herbert Tindall and Marie Harland, had wanted a 20mph limit. But area traffic manager Tony Wright said it would not be possible to have a 30mph limit leading into a 20mph area for such a short area.

Updated: 09:32 Monday, December 22, 2003