Three men drowning inside 4x4 sparks safety measures debate at "dangerous" ford in North Yorkshire

Scott Thomas Daddy, 28, from Hull, Leslie Forbes, 70, from the East Yorkshire area, and Kenneth Patrick Hibbins, 59, known as Patrick, from York, were found dead inside the vehicle after it became submerged in the River Esk.

The river, swollen by heavy rain, swept them away and carried them around 400 yards downstream.

The incident rocked the village and due to concern from local residents, it was agreed a meeting would be held with local police and organisations to discuss the tragedy and ways forward, as it also emerged Sat Nav systems are sending motorists over that route.

PCSO Pete Lewis told the parish meeting: “It is quite a dangerous ford. It has very steep banks leading down to it, it is fast flowing, quite deep and a difficult ford to cross. It is not suitable at any time for regular vehicles, front or rear wheel drive.

“There is already an issue we are getting more and more with delivery drivers and sat navs taking them down there.

“I have put that to the higher authorities with the police to see if there is anything we can do to get in touch with sat nav manufacturers or software companies. That might take some time but it is essential that it happens.”

Four main suggestions came from the meeting and the feasibility of them is now being explored.

Local residents raised the possibility of closing the section of road between Rakes Cottage and Park House Farm where the ford is but it was agreed that option was unlikely.

A second idea was to have lockable gates to allow access to certain people but again, expected to be unlikely, and could prove dangerous if the gates locked behind motorists and they couldn’t get back through them.

A metal barrier was also proposed tod run along the down side of the ford, as implemented at the nearby Duck Bridge ford. However, the engineering and cost involved was cited as a problem.

A fourth suggestion was to have a water level sensor that would flash red when water levels were at a certain height, signalling the ford was too dangerous to cross.

PCSO Lewis added: “In all events we want some more signage, the minimum being a river height marker at each end of the ford. In a preferred world we want to see the metal barrier to stop any vehicles being pushed off the ford and down stream."

When the suggestions were revealed at the meeting there were concerns the barrier would catch debris and fallen tree branches, that gates would prevent freedom for off-road bikers, while another resident was wary of the metal barrier idea after she got her car stuck in Duck Bridge and had to climb out of the window.

A suggestion was also made for a road-side memorial to the three men in the hope it would remind people fatalities had take place and discourage them crossing the ford while there was also concern a minority will continue to ignore safety warnings and signs.

One local farmer added: “You will not educate people. I have pulled them out over the years and you get the response ‘I did not think it was that deep’. I am talking vehicles four feet tall and they are sat on the bonnet. The only way you will stop them is a barrier. It is cost effective because the money that was spent down there the other week would have put a barrier on every ford in the county.”

Richard Marr, highways area manager for North Yorkshire Council (NYC)said the authority could look at warning signs before the ford with relation to sat navs but had doubts over sensor lights in case they failed and “shuddered” to think of the costs of installing metal barriers – but added NYC would act upon any recommendations made by the fatal accident investigation report or the coroner.

Mr Marr added: “The ford is seen as unsuitable for motor vehicles. If everybody read and complied (with warning signs) that would solve an awful lot of issues, but, we recognise people ignore signs but it is hard to come up with anything else.”