The following is the letter I have sent to the senior engineer in North Yorkshire County Council’s highways department.

I wish to express my concern about the road markings on the newly-resurfaced swing bridge at the western end.

At the eastern end of the bridge there are signs indicating ‘New road layout ahead’ and ‘No right turn’.

Both are regularly ignored by a small number of drivers.

The new markings say ‘Straight ahead only’ at the western end of the bridge and have a new curved white line pushing traffic intending to enter Pier Road towards the centre of the road.

As well as a road marking saying ‘Straight ahead only’ there needs to be a road marking or a sign reinforcing the ‘No right turn’ on the other side of the bridge.

The new curved white line makes it almost impossible for pedestrians to anticipate the course of vehicles approaching Pier Road.

They could be going to cross the bridge or going to head for Pier Road.

I have had three or four uncomfortably close encounters with either traffic doing an illegal right turn or suddenly swerving back into the left to go along Pier Road.

I am in my mid seventies and not engineered for rapid evasive action.

The present road markings are actually dangerous as they are either ignored (but turning right off the bridge) or obeyed by moving to the right before swinging left when approaching the bridge at the western end.

The new cycle track deserves special mention.

It must be the shortest in the country, it has no designated route either onto it or off it.

There is no warning that it exists (and fortunately no cyclists seem to be sufficiently stupid to use it).

The current markings are definitely dangerous for pedestrians.

To my knowledge there has never been an attempt to enforce the ‘No right turn’ sign and vehicles ignoring the sign are particularly dangerous to Whitby residents who know that no vehicles should be turning right.

The curved white line is equally dangerous for both locals and visitors.

The dangers are exacerbated by the majority of the traffic totally ignoring the 20mph speed along stretches of the road each side of the bridge.

May I suggest that someone has a close look at these markings, existing signs and compliance with the signs before there is an accident.

If changes are not made it is only a matter of time before someone is either killed or injured.