FUNDING has been secured by North Yorkshire County Council for road safety improvements along the A682 to where it joins the A65 in Long Preston.

The improvements are part of an £11.5 million scheme for improvements across the county with money being made available through the Government's Road Safety Fund.

The money, announced by the Department for Transport, followed 100 per cent success in the funding requested.

In the Craven district, a total of £615,000 is allocated to be spent on the A682 Barrowford to Long Preston Road during the current financial year.

The work includes inproved skid resistance at the junction with the B6253 and at Swinden Bends, as well as a crash barrier along the 700 metre stretch of road to the west of the A682 between the junction with the B6253 and Swinden.

There will also be improvements to visibility at the junctions with the B6263, C400 and C402.

Funding will also be used towards signing and lining improvements along the length of the route.

County Councillor Don Mackenzie, Executive Member for Highways, said: “I am road safety champion for the county, so any targeted funding for areas where there are proven road safety concerns is very much welcomed by me. This is a significant amount of money, which will be important in terms of improvements to our highways infrastructure and particularly for road safety.”

A report will go to the County Council’s Business and Environmental Services Executive Members on June 29, when they will be asked formally to accept the offers of grant funding for the highways, including the A682.