This week’s Teesdale Mercury:
Dispute over school’s plan to close path due to safety fears.
Village to lose its historic post office.
Row as Bede Kirk is left to grow wild.
Archaeologist to chop her hair in memory of her colleague.
Centenarian celebrates with two birthday parties.
Volunteers are key to art centre’s future.
Major route to close for three hours to accommodate carnival.
Public meeting planned for lorry ban in Barnard Castle.
Diver explores well below historic inn.
Airmen remembered during Teesdale Aviation Day.
Appeal over slurry lagoon to be heard in public.
A hero off-duty policeman is up for bravery award after tackling a dangerous driver.
Builders receive award for their conservation work.
New look bookshop to host poetry and live music nights.
Barney dresses up for 1940s Weekend.
The Bowes Museum to host new music inspired by the BFG exhibition.
What’s On? Plan your week ahead with our complete events guide.
Photos from Gainford’s big day out.
Sport – Home crowd support inspires racing driver to equal his season’s best.
Plus letters, community news, four pages of arts, farming and marts.
![A COUNTY councillor is backing a campaign to get a pedestrian crossing in Staindrop. Frustrated parish councillors in the village summoned their county council representative Cllr George Richardson to their latest meeting to discuss several issues, including the call for a safe way to cross the A688. Earlier this year their request for a crossing was turned down by the county council’s highways officers. Parish council chairman Jonothan Raper described the reasons for the refusal as “spurious” and called on Cllr Richardson to support their campaign. He added: “One of the arguments they made was there is no clear line of desire when they studied the village – well this isn’t a clear line of desire because there isn’t a crossing, people cross whenever they can. “When the lollipop person was there, one of the things I noticed was people would walk all the way down to the lollipop person to cross the road to go to the shop or to go to the school.” He added a problem of parking at the primary school is exacerbated because people are too afraid to walk their children across the road. Cllr Richardson said he had supported previous attempts for a crossing point with the first being made about 15 years ago. He added: “We went fairly well down the road with that and they looked into it. The only recommended place was where the bus stop is and to get the visibility splays, people on the other side of the road would lose their parking. “That didn’t go down well so it just died a death.” Cllr Raper said he suspected the real reason for the officers’ refusal was the cost of installing a crossing. He added that much of the cost could be recovered from savings made on not having to employ a lollipop patrol. Cllr Raper said: “A lollipop person only provides a benefit of crossing for three hours of the day. You are getting 21 extra hours of crossing time [with a pedestrian crossing].” Cllr Richardson said he would raise the issue with the county council’s cabinet member for highways, Cllr John Shuttleworth.](https://teesdalemercury.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/georgeR-120x86.jpg)
