A PUBLIC consultation is about to be launched on what should happen to the A64.

A series of meetings has been arranged along the route of the road.

The consultation is part of the Highways Agency's route management strategy for Britain's trunk roads over the next ten years and beyond.

The agency says peoples' views can help decide future plans for the road. Highways Agency project manager David Phillips says local people often know a great deal about local problems and what the solutions might be.

"Contributions from users of the route and local people are an essential part of developing the final strategy. We hope that as many people as possible will try to attend one of the exhibitions and return their completed questionnaires in due course."

The aim of the strategy is to operate and manage the A64 so it improves safety and reliability, helps sustain the local and regional economy and improves local accessibility and environment.

Meanwhile, the Council for the Protection of Rural England says the agency's route management strategy could be damaging. It says the original purpose of making better use of the existing road network could be overshadowed by plans for road widening by stealth.

Paul Hamblin, head of transport policy for the CPRE, said: "The Highways Agency has made it clear that route management strategies are not about building new roads, but making better use of the roads we already have. Proposals to introduce new lorry lanes or high-occupancy vehicle lanes might sound good at first sight, until you discover that it can involve an entirely new motorway lane."

Highways Agency exhibitions are to be held at 11 locations along the A64 during January and February. Everyone is encouraged to visit an exhibition near them and comment on the draft strategy for the road.

A leaflet plus questionnaire, will be distributed to all households along the route in January explaining the background to the strategy and giving details of the dates and venues of the exhibitions. These include:

Barton-le-Willows: Village Hall on Tuesday February 5, noon-8pm,

Sherburn: Village Hall on Monday, February 11, noon-8pm, Tuesday, February 12, noon-6pm,

Malton: Milton Rooms, on Wednesday February 13, noon-8pm, Thursday February 14, noon-6pm,

Rillington: Village Hall on Friday, February 15, noon-8pm, Saturday, February 16, 10am-1pm,

Welburn: Village Hall on Thursday, February 21, noon-8pm,

Scarborough: Stephen Joseph Theatre, Boden Room, on Tuesday, January 29: noon-8pm, Wednesday, January 30, noon-6pm, Thursday, January 31, noon-6pm,

Seamer: Morrisons Supermarket, entrance Foyer, Saturday February 23, noon-8pm,

Background information and the leaflet and questionnaire are also available on the Highways Agency web site, www.highways.gov.uk under the 'Information' and 'Route Management Strategy' menus.

Updated: 11:07 Thursday, December 20, 2001