A NOTORIOUS accident blackspot has come under fresh scrutiny from highways officials following sustained pressure from road safety campaigners.

A site visit held by Councillor Graham Kirkland last week made the Carlton crossroads a priority concern after the area engineer from Leeds' highways department saw first-hand the heavy flow of traffic using the junction on the A658 at peak times.

Coun Kirkland (LibDem, Otley and Wharfedale) said: "There are a large number of high speed accidents here and it is only a matter of time before there is a major crash with the tragic likelihood of multiple fatalities."

He said the ideal solution for the crossroads would be a roundabout with high quality street lighting.

But a spokesman for Leeds City Council said a roundabout would be too expensive, although a new assessment would be made of the area.

He said: "We have acknowledged that this is a site for concern. We are still considering the best way of dealing with the situation."

And Coun Kirkland said any improvement at the junction would benefit nearby Carlton village which suffered from heavy traffic using it as a rat run.

"The roads are totally unsuited to the number of vehicles, especially at peak time in the morning, and a junction improvement would virtually stop the constant, very high flow of traffic through the village," he said.

Hazel Lee, of the Otley and District road safety committee, said she was pleased that action was being taken. "It's not before time. It is a dangerous spot and there was a crash there only recently. Leeds have no excuse really apart from the economics," she said.

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