ARCHAEOLOGICAL remains and local wildlife have combined to rule out hoped-for bypasses for two North Yorkshire towns.

Road schemes for both Pickering and Helmsley have been scuppered as they would not receive funding from the Government.

According to North Yorkshire County Council, the projects would offer only a poor economic performance to the communities involved.

The dropping of the schemes follows an appraisal carried out for the authority's new local transport plan for the years 2006 to 2011.

The plan is currently out for public consultation and will go before the full county council meeting in May, before being sent to the Department of Transport.

Director of environmental services Mike Moore said the route of the planned £10.9m Pickering scheme would go through sites of biodiversity and nature conservation interest, and would have a direct impact on Costa Beck and Pickering Beck, which both have otter populations.

He said that while there would be a reduction in traffic passing through Pickering, the volume of tourist traffic would remain.

Mr Moore said the Helmsley scheme, estimated to cost £5.6 million at present-day figures, would bring potential improvements to the town, a congested tourist honey-spot.

But he said that its route would take it through at least nine archaeological sites and it would severely detract from the countryside.

"It would require tree loss and extensive earthworks to negotiate the topography," he said.

The possibility of re-opening the Malton to Pickering train link 40 years after it closed is also going on the backburner.

Studies indicate that reinstating the line would cost in the region of £20m and that is unlikely to be available in the short-term and no further investigation work is planned.

Pickering county councillor Betsy Hill said the town's bypass had been at the top of the reserve list for 15 years, but added: "Realistically, such a scheme is very long-term."