Sir – I have attended the last three Craven Area Committee meetings and at the December one I was highly delighted to hear that Lancashire County Council was attempting to solve their highway problems which also affect South Craven.

As I understand it, LCC spotted an opportunity of grants which had a tight deadline and got on with it.

This contrasts with the last 18 years where North Yorkshire County Council have ignored traffic problems of cross boundary traffic on the strategic HGV route the A6068 from West Yorks through Cross Hills, Glusburn and Cowling to the M65 in Colne, East Lancs.

If Bedale warrants a £40 million bypass, what was their volume of traffic, including HGVs, against pedestrian safety?

Our affected population is approximately 9,000, with a level crossing down 40 minutes in the hour, and at least 12,000 vehicle movements a day.

This necessitates four pelican crossings in less than a mile to help safeguard a 300-pupil primary school on the narrow roadside and the largest secondary school in North Yorkshire.

We also have one of the largest populations of elderly people in Craven after Skipton.

My request for a pavement on a main road into Sutton was turned down, basically for financial reasons, yet tarting up for a cycle race through North Yorkshire appears to have no cost implications.

If Lancashire can justify getting Government funding towards a Foulridge bypass this could lead to further road improvements which could take some of the traffic from South Craven and share it out.

I for one would welcome this.

Margaret Nicholson, Sutton in Craven