A SECOND accident on Skipton's Gargrave Road caused by motorists having to negotiate the new mini-roundabout at the junction with Rockwood Drive has brought mixed reactions from local residents.

Extensive damage was caused to two vehicles last week as they both tried to drive round the newly installed pimple roundabout, put in as part of the town's traffic calming scheme.

Jennifer Barrows, 17, of Parkwood, Skipton, driving a Citroen ZX was in collision with Richard Parker, 23, of Cullingworth, in his Metro. The accident occurred last Wednesday at 7.20pm.

Work on the traffic calming scheme consisting of two mini roundabouts and a number of built out areas of pavement to create parking bays began just over a month ago.

Within one week of the roundabouts being put in a two vehicle collision happened close to the one at the top of the street.

Dr Roger Pyrah, of Raikes Road, said he could not see any reason for the pimple roundabouts as they were not well lit and were themselves causing accidents. He added: "It is going to get far, far worse in the summer when the tourists come along Gargrave Road."

He also pointed out that organisers of the medieval market struggled to get visitors on and off the coaches last year because of lack of space and wondered how they would manage this year when the vast numbers of large coaches had to negotiate small roundabouts and narrowed roads.

However mum Isobel Stirk who travels up Gargrave Road every day to drop her children off at Skipton Girls' High and Aireville thinks the roundabout is helpful.

She said: "I think it is a good idea - I do think it slows the traffic down. If the traffic is slowed there then it is slow when approaching the High School.

"Perhaps it does hold traffic up but it gives the kids more of a chance."

She pointed out that she had witnessed the first accident at the scene and thought it was because the drivers were unaware of the new layout.

Mrs Stirk said the conditions could perhaps be improved by moving the warning roundabout sign further along the road and to the edge of the pavement. "When you get to the sign you are nearly at the roundabout," she added.

The second accident was even foreseen by Raikes Road resident Bob Wright.

He said in a letter to The Herald on February 11: "Having heard many comments about the traffic calming measures along Gargrave Road, doubtless there will be one or two more following the first accident at one of the new mini roundabouts."

Stewart Hurst, group engineer traffic management and road safety officer, said he still believed the mini roundabouts were the right measure for Gargrave Road.

"Clearly people do need to exercise caution when approaching any new road layout," he said, and added that it did take motorists some time to get used to a new system but there were advanced road warning signs to alert them.

Mr Hurst said he did not think the traffic calming measures would cause any congestion even in the summer months when more tourists came into the town, as all the methods were intended to do was slow traffic.

He added that the highways' departments main concern was to cut traffic speed going past the schools to reduce the number of accidents.

Traffic constable Mick Foulston said: "We are looking into the causes of the accidents on the junction with the new roadworks. We will make recommendations in due course."

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