Persistence pays for villagers

Mar 10 2008 by Neil Mckay, The Journal

VILLAGERS who have been campaigning for years for a pedestrian crossing are celebrating a breakthrough after highways bosses finally approved it.

People in Delves Lane, Consett, County Durham, say they take “their lives in their hands” trying to cross the B6308 in the village.

Their local county councillor Bob Young said last night that the campaign had taken “a huge leap forward” after highways bosses agreed to the scheme in principle.

Coun Young, who would also like to see lorries diverted away from Delves Lane to Consett bypass, said: “The B6308 through Delves Lane is one of the most well-used roads in the Consett area as it is a main route to Durham.

“Residents have been demanding a crossing for many years. They say they take their lives into their hands trying to cross the road.

“The recent influx of new housing – and more people – into the village made the installation of a crossing even more urgent. Now permission has finally been granted for a crossing and a location has been suggested I am absolutely delighted, although I will admit that at times, I really didn’t think this could be achieved.

“There were so many meetings about traffic audits, with technical issues, Government legislation, highways department issues to be considered, as well as the question of how to fund the new crossing, that the wheels seemed to be turning extremely slowly.

“All of these things take a long time. I was determined to stick with it so that the residents of this area were going to finally get what so many of them had asked for.”

Coun Young said he had been “fighting bureaucracy” for three years before achieving a breakthrough.

The new traffic-light controlled puffin crossing will be installed in the autumn, probably near the village post office.