A SELSIDE resident and local councillor has voiced his concern as another vehicle was added to the road traffic accident statistics.

Coun Wilf Fenten said he was concerned that with spring on the way the number of cars and motorbikes would increase on the narrow road through the village.

And renewed calls for a traffic calming scheme have been made by residents following the latest accident.

"Several years ago North Yorkshire County Council's Craven Area Committee agreed to set aside £16,000 for traffic calming measures in Selside, where we had a number of accidents with cars and motorbikes again last year," said Coun Fenten. "Yet whenever the project is beginning to move, something happens and the whole thing comes to a stop.

"In the course of last year the county council did a traffic survey conducted by one of their officers. Selside residents got together and worked out what they wanted and again the whole thing was aborted, so the money is frittered away year after year and nothing is happening," he added.

"So far, local residents have escaped injury, but it can only be a matter of time until this happens. People drive through Selside far too fast. Bearing in mind the many children in the village and the lack of pavement, local residents are

very worried indeed."

Coun Fenten has now created a Powerpoint presentation which shows a number of suggestions from residents to try and reduce the speed of traffic.

The suggestions are minor adjustments, including flat kerbs at the edge of the road to create the illusion that it is narrower than it is and mock gateways at the entrance to the village.

"All we want is to be able to show our ideas to the authority and see if they are possible," said Coun Fenten.

He added that each time there was an accident in the village he took a photograph and sent it to both highways and the police.

Ken Martin, improvements manager for North Yorkshire highways, based at Skipton, said the money initially allocated to Selside was no longer available, although the scheme remained on the reserve list.

"All the programmes across the county are being reassessed on a points basis and a programme of work for the next two years is going to be reported to members of the Craven Area Committee," he said.

In the meantime, added Mr Martin, the county council would be willing to attend Coun Fenten's Powerpoint presentation and discuss the residents' ideas