A TRIAL safety measure at a dangerous junction in Skipton is being planned following two fatal crashes in two years, but councillors say the measures do not go far enough.

Asad Siddiq, from Barnoldswick, was killed near the turn off with Harrogate Road and The Bailey on the A65 Skipton northern bypass, on December 10.

At the time the 24-year-old, described as one of the "most kind, funny, caring and likeable men" by his family, was driving his silver VW Polo along the road in the direction of Skipton when the collision occurred near the junction with Harrogate Road and The Bailey.

Just over two years ago motorcyclist 20-year-old Edward Brier was killed and his girlfriend injured at the same junction on October 13, 2017.

North Yorkshire County Council has announced it is making a 'temporary experimental change' to the layout of the junction where the right turn from the A65 bypass into The Bailey will be removed.

This means only vehicles exiting The Bailey junction will be able to wait in the central reservation, hopefully removing the potential for confusion with other vehicles waiting to make a turn.

Drivers wanting to turn right will travel to the A59/A65 Skibeden roundabout one kilometre east and back along the A65 to make a left turn into The Bailey. Barriers will be erected to make the change to the junction during the trial period.

However, Skipton's county councillors Robert Heseltine and Andy Solloway say what is needed is a safe infrastructure at the accident blackspot and say a roundabout is the only feasible solution.

Cllr Heseltine said: "It has been clear for some time that this dangerous junction needs a radical re-think and solution.

"The intended change is a step in increasing safety. But the ultimate engineering work that is required is a 100 per cent functional roundabout.

"There is more than adequate land available at this junction to achieve this once and for all for safe outcome.

"Skipton is accepting thousands of new homes.

"Our town is a developer's paradise.

"But what is not being provided for by these developers is a safe infrastructure.

"Developers have a liability under planning regulations to contribute towards highway and educational improvements that are necessary for these developments.

"This has been sadly lacking for many years in Skipton."

Cllr Solloway added about the proposed road safety trial: "What is really needed here is a roundabout. With Craven District Council's Local Plan now in place and all the new housing proposed in Skipton, surely we can get developers to jointly help meet the cost of this."

County Cllr Don Mackenzie, executive member for access, said: "We made a commitment to respond to local concerns about safety at this junction and have developed this proposal following recent investigations and with support for improvements from the community. The proposal aims to eliminate the main factors that contribute to collisions and confusion at the junction.

"We aim to have the experimental order in place within three months, after finalising the design, arranging the work and completing the legal process in order to remove the right turn for a trial period."

He added: "We appreciate that there have been calls for a roundabout to be provided at the junction funded by development in Skipton. However, any developer-funded improvements have to be proportionate to the scale of development and cannot be justified at this time."

The county council said it will provide more information and guidance on how members of the public can comment nearer the implementation.